The School Across The Lake
by Maiika
Summary: Two schools sit on opposite banks of a lake, housing high school students who crave some interaction with the opposite sex. Frustrated and rebellious, the teens work with their friends to find a way to meet the kids from the other school, just across the lake. Humorous situations ensue. Rated T for language and mild sexual content. B/V, G/CC, Y/M, K/18, L/T
1. The New Kids

"So, what'd you do?" The teenager's tone was only mildly interested. She cast big black eyes upon her new roommate, who finally hung up the cell phone she had been ranting into. It was most likely a story she'd heard many times before, judging by what she overheard on the phone.

"What?" The blue-haired roommate asked absently, still fuming from her prior conversation as she hurled her luggage onto the bed.

"It's a simple question." She turned to give her full attention, her hands on her hips with annoyance at not receiving a quick answer. "Why are you here?" She raised a perfectly shaped brow in a show of intimidation. Had to make an impression on the new roommate.

"Why do you assume I did something wrong?" The newbie challenged, redirecting her animosity from the prior caller to her pushy roommate. The roommate raised her eyebrows in unamused disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? I heard you on the phone. Mommy and Daddy made you come, and you sure as hell don't want to be here." The new girl's blue eyes softened and she frowned apologetically as she opened her mouth to speak, but the veteran roommate waved her off dismissively. "Not that I blame you. _No one_ wants to be here, even if it is the most prestigious boarding school in the country."

"You mean the most prestigious _all girls_ boarding school. This totally sucks!" The new girl exclaimed as she plopped on the bed, her pleated mini skirt flying up with the momentum and momentarily exposing her panties. The roommate smirked in amusement at the new girl's attitude.

"I'm Chi-Chi Mao. What's your name?" She finally decided to ditch her earlier question, knowing she wasn't getting an answer right now.

"Bulma Briefs." The girl answered reluctantly with a mortified frown. Chi-Chi chuckled, unable to contain herself.

"I should have recognized you. I just didn't expect to have a celebrity for a roommate. I guess I don't need you to answer my other question. The tabloids already took care of that for you, Bulma." Chi-Chi replied with a smile, lifting one foot to rest on her chair for a more comfortable position. She planned to be involved a long conversation now.

"Yeah, well. So what?" Bulma answered defensively, unable to think of a wittier retort in her current bad mood. Chi-Chi softened, feeling somewhat bad for the girl. If she was Bulma, she'd be pretty damn pissed about being here, too. At least Chi-Chi was used to this place.

"So nothing." Chi-Chi answered with a shrug. "One good thing about this place, just about everybody here can relate. Everybody that is sent here in their later years of school did something messed up that their parents are trying _desperately_ to fix with this place." Chi-Chi answered with a sardonically dramatic roll of her eyes. Bulma smiled at Chi-Chi, finally feeling some camaraderie from her roommate.

"So what did _you_ do?" Bulma asked curiously, throwing the question back at Chi-Chi.

"Me?" Chi-Chi smiled brightly. "I didn't do anything. I'm a lifer. This is the only high school I've attended. My father sent me because he's rich and pretentious." Chi-Chi smiled saucily. Bulma nodded, unsure what to talk about now. "So…you'll want to know about the place, I guess." Chi-Chi commented, feigning boredom as she observed her fingernails closely. Seeing a chip, she quickly turned to her desk, retrieved her nail file and worked fastidiously to correct it as she spoke.

"Yeah. I suppose." Bulma responded uninterestedly, really having no choice in the matter.

"Across the hall, you've got Launch Sneezi and Lazuli Gero. Lazuli's a lifer like me. My best friend. Everyone calls her 18. She's pretty antisocial to newcomers, though. Just a heads up." Chi-Chi interrupted her manicure to give Bulma a meaningful look in aid of her warning, making Bulma wonder just how unpleasant Lazuli, or 18, could be. "It's good you're my roommate, though. She'll have to warm up to you eventually." Bulma smiled sarcastically, as if she really appreciated the great perks of her roommate's status.

"So what'd Launch do?" Bulma asked curiously, realizing she might have more in common with that one. Chi-Chi laughed.

"What _hasn't_ Launch done?" Chi-Chi gazed towards the door, as if she could see into the room across the hall. "She's a crazy bitch, that one. Just came here last year. Ms. Ranfan fucking _hates_ her." Chi-Chi stood and headed to her closet, organizing her garments as she spoke. Bulma frowned at Chi-Chi's multitasking. Was it really so hard for her roommate to give her full attention on the first day?

"Next door, Maron Azure." Chi-Chi stated with a lazy point over her shoulder. "She's a flighty bimbo. Not much more to know about that one. I think her parents sent her here for giving her teacher a blow job or something. She rooms with some girl…I forget her name." Chi-Chi shrugged indifferently as Bulma furrowed her brows in confusion at Chi-Chi's back. She couldn't remember the girl's name right next door?

"Did she just get here this year, too?" Bulma asked what she figured was the only reasonable explanation. Chi-Chi shook her head and turned around.

"No. I just don't talk to her. I'm not sure how long she's been here, but she is really boring and ugly." Bulma rolled her eyes. God, why did she have to have one of _those_ girls for a roommate? Chi-Chi glared back at Bulma as if reading her mind.

"I am not superficial!" Chi-Chi denied, holding her head high. "I just know who my friends are, and who's worth knowing. Okay?" Chi-Chi asked, as if that settled it. Bulma shrugged. Whatever.

"What about the teachers? Anyone to watch out for?" Bulma asked as she turned to her bed, figuring it was about time to begin unpacking. She opened her luggage, noticing Chi-Chi eyeing her belongings with curiosity. She glanced back at Chi-Chi, who still had not answered her question.

"You've got some nice clothes, Bulma." Chi-Chi commented with an approving smile as Bulma pulled out a designer day dress, printed in bright florals with a plunging halter neckline. Bulma smiled smugly as she continued unpacking.

"Thanks."

"Ah, teachers." Chi-Chi mused thoughtfully, returning to Bulma's question. "They're all female. They don't employ males here, for anything. Apparently there were incidents in the past." Chi-Chi laughed. "Not surprising, seeing that half the girls here are being corrected for sexual deviancy of some sort. Even the maintenance workers are female here." Chi-Chi smirked in amusement, as did Bulma. Bulma shook her head, just imagining how much trouble the school goes through for that issue.

"So, Ranfan is just a total bitch. She goes out of her way to make us look bad in class, and disciplines like crazy. I don't think there's ever been a class where she did not give somebody a detention. And she's a slut. Talks about her sexual exploits sometimes, just to rub it in our faces that we don't have any guys around here." Chi-Chi frowned deeply, showing obvious hatred for the teacher. "Then Mai is just super strict. She's pretty harmless, though. If you follow her rules. Just watch out you don't bring anything valuable into class. She likes to steal shit for herself. Says she's 'confiscating' it." Chi-Chi added, using her fingers for air quotes. "Baba is the headmistress here. She's an ugly, ornery little old lady. Yells like crazy with that screechy voice of hers. Aside from them, the rest of the teachers here are alright." Chi-Chi stopped talking and jumped in surprise as there was a knock at the door. Chi-Chi went to answer it while Bulma quickly opened her drawers and began putting her clothes away.

"Hey, babe. Come in." Chi-Chi greeted sweetly as she swung the door open wider and Bulma glanced over her shoulder in curiosity. A girl with shoulder-length straight blonde hair walked into the room. Her tough attitude preceded her, which was contradicted by her casual, well-coordinated designer outfit. She stepped toward Bulma, cocking her head and inspecting her with piercing ice-blue eyes.

"Who's this, Chi-Chi?" She asked, as if Bulma was not in the room.

"That's Bulma. Bulma Briefs." Chi-Chi answered with a smirk. "She's my new roommate." The other girl chuckled darkly, clearly recognizing Bulma's name as well. Bulma figured this must be 18, Chi-Chi's friend.

"Can I hang in here for a while? Launch is taking a nap. There's no way in hell I'm risking waking her up." The blonde commented as she plopped down on Chi-Chi's bed without waiting for permission.

"Yeah, sure." Chi-Chi said indifferently. "Bulma, meet 18." Chi-Chi finally introduced with a lazy wave towards their visitor.

"Hey." 18 said, staring and studying Bulma from afar. Bulma felt awkward by the introduction, but waved to 18 in a friendly manner.

"Hi." Bulma answered, frowning and returning to her activity as she felt no need to engage with 18 any further. 18 had a notebook and pen in hand, and was quickly busying herself with her own silent work. Chi-Chi had switched on her computer, and was putting headphones on as she sat to begin her own isolated activity. Bulma finished unpacking, sliding her suitcase under her bed as she turned to observe the other girls. Perhaps she should get out of the room and explore the place. Perhaps she should call somebody. It would be nice to talk to her old friends, the ones she was forced to abandon from her old high school.

Just because she hacked into the school system and altered her friends' grades, her parents sent her here, away from her entire life. Bulma crossed her arms as she fumed at the memory, blowing her blue wispy bangs out of her eyes in annoyance. It wasn't her fault she was the only one of her friends who was a genius. Was she supposed to just let them fail? She was helping, dammit! And they called that a crime. What bullshit! Bulma squeezed her arms tight, her fingernails digging into her skin as she clenched her teeth and felt her anger building at being stuck here. No boys? What the hell did she do to deserve being taken away from boys? She reached second base with her boyfriend already, and was planning on finally giving it up to him this year. Now what? Now she had to wait until after graduation? A hormonal teenager should not be subjected to this treatment!

"Here it comes." 18's shallow voice sounded from across the room, though Bulma thought she might have imagined it. She stared, perplexed at the sudden announcement, which broke her from her furious internal rant. 18's eyes had never left her notebook, and she continued to scribble without missing a beat. If it weren't for Chi-Chi removing her headphones and glancing curiously toward 18, Bulma would be certain that she never really heard anything. Chi-Chi smiled at Bulma, looking quite amused.

"What?" Bulma asked, somewhat confused, somewhat defensive.

"What are you thinking about?" Chi-Chi asked knowingly with a smirk plastered on her face.

"I'm pissed off, alright?" Bulma answered defensively, uncrossing her arms with surprise at the pain she had subconsciously inflicted with her fingernails.

"Just let it out, Bulma. Everyone has their outburst once they settle here." 18 chimed in quietly, still working fiercely on whatever she was drawing.

"Not me!" Bulma exclaimed stubbornly. She refused to do what everyone else did. She would be different. She was Bulma Briefs, dammit! It was time she started acting like a famous heiress. Bulma stood up quickly, grabbing her purse and heading out the door, slamming it behind her. Chi-Chi and 18 glanced at each other after she left.

"So she'll take a little longer than the others." 18 decided with a shrug. Chi-Chi shook her head in disagreement.

"No." Chi-Chi answered thoughtfully. She smiled to herself and rubbed her chin. "I think Bulma might be different." 18 looked at Chi-Chi, surprised with her assumption. "This should be a fun year, 18."

* * *

"108, 108…108." A teenage boy repeated the number as he scurried down the hall, glancing at every door he passed. A few others shuffled by, ignoring the obviously lost one as he was currently in the 120s and confused, because the hall was awkwardly arranged with some turns here and there. He could not follow the way the numbering changed at each angular bend in the hall. He stopped and scratched his bald head, muttering to himself about why he had to be here.

He sighed and resumed walking, having no other option as he dragged his suitcase aimlessly through the hall. A few more guys passed him, until one doubled back and studied him curiously. He turned around to eye his observer, feeling awkward with the attention. He didn't want to start off on the wrong foot with anyone here, and in his current irritable state, he was likely to make a bad impression.

"Lost?" The guy guessed, crossing his arms and cocking his head. The boy sighed heavily and craned his neck upward, cursing his short stature as he addressed the much taller student.

"No, it's alright. I'll find my own way." He explained gruffly, forcing a smile before hurrying away again. He heard the pursuit of footsteps, and tried to ignore them, but knew the guy was following him and had seen him checking the doors for numbers. He spun around in defeat, crying out his frustration. "Yes! I'm lost, okay? I'm new here." He felt as if he just made a major confession as the tall guy before him chuckled amicably.

"Yeah, I figured as much. What room are you looking for?" He asked, placing his hands casually in his jeans pockets. As nice as this guy seemed, the boy could not help being intimidated by him. He looked strong and confident, much more so than he was. He gulped nervously before answering.

"108. Do you know where it is?" He asked, defeated as he scuffed his foot on the ground.

"Yeah! Hey! You're Yamcha's new roommate!" The taller student exclaimed excitedly, so much so that the smaller guy jumped fearfully at the sudden outburst. "Come on, this way!" He exclaimed as he waved his hand and hurried down the hall in the opposite direction from where they were headed. "What's your name?" He asked as he smiled over his shoulder, not slowing down in the slightest, though the boy was having trouble keeping up with his heavy luggage.

"Hey, can you slow down?" He huffed wearily as the guy spun around, suddenly realizing the difficulty his follower was having. He smiled broadly as he watched the other catching up. His smile quickly turned to a very serious expression.

"Nice to meet you, Heycanyouslowdown." The boy stopped, frowning in disbelief at the serious formality. Did this guy really believe that was his name?

"No. My name is Krillin. Krillin Yamabushi." He insisted, extending his hand for a handshake. The other laughed loudly, slapping his hand hard before grasping it tightly. Krillin pulled his hand back, shaking off the pain from that harsh handshake.

"I'm just fucking with you, Krillin. I saw your name printed there on your luggage earlier, anyways." The guy answered with an amused chuckle as he resumed leading the way down the hall.

"Good. For a minute there I just thought you were really stupid." Krillin mumbled to himself.

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" Krillin exclaimed hastily with a nervous laugh. "Well, thanks for showing me to my room." Krillin grumbled with annoyance, his irritation shining through again after that embarrassing conversation.

"No problem. I'm Goku, by the way." He added, glancing over his shoulder again. "Yamcha's been wondering who he'd be stuck with this year." Goku glanced over his shoulder again, inspecting Krillin curiously. "You seem like an alright guy." He decided with a shrug before stopping. "Here it is." He said as he prepared to knock, until Krillin waved him aside.

"This _is_ my room." Krillin said pointedly, proudly showing Goku the key he retrieved from his pocket. Goku nodded, stepping back as Krillin unlocked the door. The room was empty as Krillin stepped in, his anxiety fading as he was prepared to meet his roommate. "Guess I'll be meeting Yamcha later." Krillin mumbled as he headed to the pristine bed in the room, obviously the one that would be his, as the other was surrounded by belongings.

"There's nothing to worry about." Goku assured Krillin as he leaned against the doorframe. "Yamcha's a nice guy. You'll get along fine." He decided. Krillin smiled at Goku and nodded thankfully. "I was just heading to the mess hall." Goku explained, pointing a thumb over his shoulder in the right direction. "If you want, you can head down there with me, or meet us there after you unpack." Goku offered.

"I think I'll unpack first. Maybe I'll see you later." Krillin suggested, feeling weary from his travels and frustrations. He definitely wanted to settle more before meeting more people. He turned to his suitcase, opening it as he wanted to unpack as quickly as possible.

"You'll definitely see me later. My room's right across the hall." Goku said hastily. "See ya!" Krillin turned around to say goodbye to Goku, shocked to see him gone already, the door left open. Krillin shrugged to himself and went to shut the door.

"Guy must have been in a hurry to eat." He muttered to himself with a shrug as he resumed his unpacking and settled into his room.

Unpacked and settled, Krillin decided to lie down and rest for a while. He kicked off his shoes and was just seated on his bed when the door opened. He startled and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of his roommate. The guy was about as tall as Goku, which Krillin noted resentfully. He also had black hair like him, but it was in a short, spiky style, unlike Goku's longer, more wayward black spikes. "Hi!" Krillin said, trying not to laugh when the guy jumped in surprise at his presence.

"Geez, give a guy a heart attack!" Yamcha complained as he walked into the room, closing the door and throwing his keys on his bed. "You my new roommate?" Yamcha asked, raising an eyebrow curiously at the short bald guy sitting on the other bed.

"No. I'm your new teacher." Krillin answered with guttural sarcasm.

"Ugh. Not you, too." Yamcha complained, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms with chagrin.

"What do you mean?" Krillin asked warily. This didn't seem like they were getting off on the right foot.

"My last roommate was obnoxiously sarcastic. Please say you're not." Yamcha pleaded, leaning forward in an exasperated posture. Krillin laughed nervously.

"I do tend to be sarcastic sometimes…" Krillin admitted while Yamcha groaned. "But no one's ever complained about it before! I actually think I'm quite funny." Krillin added proudly with a smug smile. Yamcha cast Krillin a dubious look and shook his head. "I'm Krillin!" Krillin introduced, extending his hand for a handshake. Yamcha accepted it, and Krillin appreciated that it was not the same bone-crushing handshake Goku gave.

"Yamcha." Yamcha responded with a frown. Definitely not off to a good start.

"I met your friend, Goku, earlier." Krillin said with a hopeful smile. Maybe the bridge of a mutual acquaintance would help improve things here. Yamcha smiled right away.

"Yeah? Where'd he go?" Yamcha asked with interest.

"Um…he was heading to the mess hall." Krillin remembered, feeling successful as Yamcha finally smiled back at him.

"Figures. You wanna go?" Yamcha asked, grabbing a jacket and seemingly in a hurry to catch up to Goku and the others. Krillin shrugged. Might as well. He followed Yamcha, locking the door behind him as Yamcha led the way. "So, what brings you to _Korin Military Academy_?" Yamcha asked, using a clearly disdainful tone towards the name of this facility.

"My grandparents." Krillin grumbled, his own disdain blatantly obvious. Yamcha raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had never heard anyone so resentful of their grandparents, and that was not anywhere close to the standard reasons.

"Your grandparents?" Yamcha questioned, looking down at Krillin in pure confusion.

"Yeah. My parents died last year."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Yamcha answered sincerely.

"And they left everything to my grandparents until I'm eighteen…including me." Krillin grumbled.

"So…they shipped you off to military school?" Yamcha asked in disbelief. Krillin nodded. "Man. That's harsh. Right after your parents just died. And you're graduating this year?" Krillin nodded again. They roomed in the senior hall. It really was an unnecessary question. "That's really harsh. One lousy year and they stick you here." Yamcha shook his head sympathetically.

"Yep. Really sucks." Krillin exhaled loudly as he tried to ease his frustration with his situation.

"Look. I just started here last year. I was in trouble, like most guys here." Yamcha leaned into Krillin, whispering as they walked. "Stealing shit. But don't tell anyone. They still don't have any proof." Yamcha stated, winking as he pulled away again. "But it gets better. A lot of the guys here are really cool. Stick with Goku, he's been here forever. Knows his way around the place, if you know what I mean." Krillin nodded, though he didn't fully understand what Yamcha was implying. "His roommate is an asshole, if you ask me. You might want to avoid him, though Goku doesn't have any problems with him. Goku doesn't have problems with anyone, really. He's a pretty popular guy." Yamcha sure seemed fond of Goku. "Tien and Piccolo are alright. They room together just down the hall from us. They're both bald and tall, and pretty damn serious all the time." Yamcha explained as Krillin took mental notes, trying to remember all the names and descriptions. Krillin sighed. This was all well and good, but this school was seriously lacking from his last one. One immensely important thing was missing.

"I'm going to miss the girls." Krillin sighed thoughtfully. Yamcha punched his arm lightly.

"You got that right! Everything gets better, _but that_! I'm suffering over here, man! None of my friends seem to care, either! I feel like I'm struggling alone!" Yamcha sounded very frustrated, and Krillin grimaced as he realized the truth behind Yamcha's words. Would he feel that desperate after a year in this place? Sure, that was all the time he needed to spend here. But how would he make it through the year?


	2. First Week Of Classes

"Kakarot, what classes are you taking tomorrow?" A haughty teen asked his roommate after just being checked for nightly inspections.

"Oh! I thought...I must have the wrong room..." Interrupted an apologetic voice through their open door from the hall. The intruder glanced inside, frowning with confusion. "No, it is you! Goku...right?" He stared with a bemused, fixated expression at the easily distracted roommate.

"Yeah. Don't let that confuse you, Krillin. Vegeta just calls me Kakarot..." He began rambling in a friendly conversation as Vegeta growled with frustration at the irking interruption.

"Hi Vegeta. I'm Krillin." The midget finally worked up the courage to say. Vegeta only met his eyes for a moment before returning his attention to his roommate.

"Kakarot, what classes are you taking tomorrow?" He repeated impatiently.

"Aw, come on, Vegeta. You can't just say hi to the guy first? He's new here!" Kakarot insisted with a teasing smile. The idiot could care less whether Vegeta was nice. He just took every opportunity he could get to piss off his roommate. Vegeta sneered intimidatingly at the little, lingering nuisance instead. See how he liked that introduction.

"Don't mind Vegeta, Krillin. He's like this with everyone." Kakarot smiled warmly at their wary intruder while Vegeta rolled his eyes at the niceties.

" _Don't_ apologize for me, Kakarot." Vegeta said, crossing his arms and tapping his finger against his bicep impatiently as he stared intensely through his roommate, awaiting his answer. Kakarot widened his eyes and smiled as the moron finally recognized the implication of the insistence in Vegeta's actions.

"Tomorrow's gonna be the best day! I've got all my combat training classes lined up, Vegeta!" He proclaimed as he leaned back in his chair. "You taking any combat training tomorrow?" Kakarot asked with a competitive smirk. Vegeta smirked right back.

"Of course I am, Kakarot." He said with a smug smile as he crossed his arms.

"Ooookay," Krillin said, intruding again from the doorway. Vegeta groaned. Why was he still here? "I was just wondering…if you guys didn't mind…" the bald kid mumbled, tapping his fingers nervously together until he trailed off. Vegeta shook his head, tempted to slam the door in this idiot's face, until he realized that would only cause Kakarot to invite the idiot inside. It was better to leave him in the doorway.

"Spit it out already!" Vegeta finally yelled impatiently. Krillin startled, his lip trembling as he met Vegeta's gaze. Vegeta smirked, proud to strike fear in the little ingrate.

"I was just wondering if I could borrow your notes from Colonel Roshi's lecture!" Krillin exclaimed hurriedly. Vegeta was actually a little impressed. No stuttering, no backtracking. Maybe the guy actually had some balls. But tough luck getting those notes. Vegeta looked at Kakarot, who frowned and scratched the back of his head as he looked mutely at Krillin.

"Uh...Krillin, I wasn't actually taking notes in that class." Kakarot explained with an upturned, apologetic palm and a slight shrug. Krillin looked at Vegeta with a look of desperation as Vegeta chuckled in amusement.

"Sorry, baldy. You should have taken your own notes if you wanted them." Vegeta said cruelly. Kakarot frowned at Vegeta, that reprimanding frown, and Vegeta scowled back warningly. He better not dare say anything. This was just too good. Of course, that would be too much to ask for.

"Nobody takes notes in Roshi's classes." Kakarot explained, shooting a smug smile to Vegeta. That dirty bastard! "You'll get by fine without them, believe me." Krillin frowned doubtfully as he studied Kakarot's cheerful visage. He then turned to Vegeta, narrowing his eyes judgmentally.

"Is that so?" Krillin asked haughtily. Oh sure. He was all attitude now.

"Hn!" Vegeta sneered in reply, too peeved with his meddlesome roommate to issue a response. And he was just beginning to find some amusement from the little pest. His face told enough as Krillin smiled, returning his attention to Kakarot.

"Thanks, Goku. Yamcha was right. You are a good guy to know around here." He said with a big smile. He shot Vegeta a dirty look, a judgmental frown, and Vegeta rolled his eyes at the attempted intimidation. He could only imagine what that buffoon, Yamcha told the new guy about him. Like he needed their seal of approval. All he needed from the others was obedience and submission. He would be a general someday, and until then, the lesser men were welcome to hate him.

"Hey, guys!" A familiar voice interjected excitedly from just outside the room in the hall. Speaking of lesser men. "That Yajirobe kid on the third floor is selling fake IDs!" The other intruder exclaimed loudly, bumping right into Krillin as he whirled in excitement to look into Kakarot and Vegeta's room. Krillin's eyes bulged at his roommate as he steadied himself, gaping at the surprising announcement as Vegeta scoffed.

"Why don't you announce it louder? I'm not sure if the Colonels all heard you." Vegeta remarked sarcastically as he glared at the other unwanted presence in his doorway. He turned to Kakarot with a thoughtful expression. "Why did we leave that door open, Kakarot?"

"So we can talk to our friends, Vegeta." Kakarot countered encouragingly as he began tapping his fingers on the desk next to him, looking at the others with a big, goofy smile. "We don't want to be antisocial."

"Speak for yourself." Vegeta grumbled.

"Are you guys planning on buying some?" Kakarot asked the other two in a surprised tone, paying no mind to Vegeta's remark.

"Hell yeah!" Another student interjected, peering over Krillin's shoulder with a wide smile. "I need to get out of here, meet some women!" Vegeta groaned and stood with his fists clenched by his sides as he observed the hoard that was forming in their doorway.

"Alright! Find somewhere else to have this stupid conversation!" Vegeta yelled at the group, who stepped back in surprise at his ferocity.

"What's the matter, Vegeta? Are we disturbing you and Goku? You want to be alone with your boyfriend now?" The latest addition to the group taunted with a smug smile as Vegeta growled furiously. Kakarot quickly stood and forcefully held his hands over Vegeta's chest, obnoxiously restraining him from making any further moves towards the tall, bald, idiotic student in the doorway that Vegeta was attempting to attack.

"Hey! Calm down, Vegeta!" Kakarot yelled as Vegeta tried to get around him and fought harder to break through the big oaf of a barrier. "Tien's just joking! He knows we're not like that!" Kakarot explained as Vegeta huffed and glared at his interfering roommate.

"Yeah! Look!" Tien added with a laugh. "Look how Goku's feeling him up now!" Tien chuckled, adding insult to injury with that remark as he pointed. Kakarot quickly pulled his hands back from Vegeta's chest as if it was on fire, his eyes widening at Tien's claim. Vegeta immediately took the opportunity to push past Kakarot, launching his fist towards Tien's face. Unfortunately, when the three huddled figures in the doorway attempted to move from the incoming attack, Vegeta's fist landed not in Tien's face, but Yamcha's. Yamcha held his bleeding nose in pain and glared over his shoulder at a guiltily frowning Tien.

"Son of a bitch, Vegeta!" Yamcha exclaimed, his voice muffled through his clasped hands.

"Oops." Vegeta deadpanned carelessly as he cradled his wounded fist and stalked back to his chair. Krillin followed Yamcha away with a glare over his shoulder, which Vegeta easily shrugged off. He turned to Kakarot, disappointed to see his roommate giving him that reproving look. "What? He asked for it." Vegeta retorted as Kakarot rolled his eyes in disbelief.

" _He_ didn't ask for it." Tien said pointedly from the doorway. Vegeta scowled at him and crossed his arms.

"No. You did. So why are you still here?" Vegeta asked abrasively as Tien glared at him through the doorway. They continued staring each other down, and if that big, bald moron thought he was going to intimidate Vegeta, he'd be in for a long night.

"Do you want an ID, Goku? I can get you one." Tien said with a frown, his eyes fixed on Vegeta as he attempted to ignore him and address Kakarot. It was clear he was already squirming for a way out of their stare-down.

"Nah. I don't think so, Tien. I mean, where are you planning to go with them anyways?" Kakarot asked nonchalantly as he turned to his dresser and pulled out some boxers, wasting no time in undressing for bed, in spite of their wide open door. Vegeta rolled his eyes at the behavior before turning his sideways glance back to focusing on Tien. He glared hatefully, waiting for the moron to leave them alone already. Not that he would say it after that earlier comment. Having a reputation like _that_ was the last thing he needed.

"You know." Tien answered with a shrug, forfeiting the stare down as he turned his gaze to Kakarot, who was completely in the nude as he began pulling up his boxers. Funny that he should choose to look at him then. Maybe _he_ was the one who should be accused of having a boyfriend. "Clubs, bars, the kind of places teenagers are _supposed_ to go when they feel like rebelling. Anywhere where there are girls, really." Tien added with a thoughtful frown. Vegeta pursed his lips thoughtfully as he turned to his roommate, who was now dressed in boxers and a t-shirt. Vegeta was curious to hear his answer. He certainly had no interest in going anywhere with that motley group. But maybe if the company were different, going out and getting drunk wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"Can't you go to those places without the fake ID?" Kakarot asked with wide eyes and a frown. The clubs maybe, but the bars, hell no. And without fake IDs, you could forget about the drinking. What was the point of that?

"Tell you what. I'll get you one, just in case." Tien decided with a smirk as he crossed his arms. "You too, Vegeta. If you think you can keep your hands to yourself from now on." Tien's snide comment made Vegeta growl furiously and march towards the joker. Was he honestly starting that shit again?! "I meant your fists! Your fists, man!" Tien exclaimed as he hastily raised his hands in an appeasing manner and laughed while sliding back a few steps into the hall. Perfect. Vegeta smirked as he noted the clearance in the doorway and slammed the door in Tien's face without another word. He turned around with a self-satisfied smile to see his roommate awkwardly scratching his head.

"What?" Vegeta asked as he headed to his own dresser, ready to dress himself for bed.

"You _want_ a fake ID?" Kakarot asked curiously as Vegeta froze his movements of pulling clothing from his drawer for a moment. How did the idiot catch that? He couldn't have. Vegeta shook his head before answering as he shut his drawer and resumed dressing.

"Of course not! I wanted your band of merry men out of our doorway. Keep that door closed from now on, Kakarot! How the hell am I supposed to study or even think straight with all that noise coming in here all the time?" Vegeta said scoldingly as he finished dressing and plopped backwards onto his bed. He laid there for a minute in silence while Kakarot retrieved his toiletries and held them snugly against his chest. He headed for the door before glancing back at Vegeta with a smirk.

"Okay, Vegeta." Kakarot said knowingly after a long pause. Vegeta scowled as his roommate left the room wordlessly. He clasped his hands over his stomach as he stared towards the ceiling thoughtfully. So what if he did want a fake ID? It was about time they did something rebellious. He might have ambitions, but that didn't mean he should avoid breaking some rules every once in a while.

* * *

"...Tryouts will be posted on the bulletin board in your hall. Take a look. There are plenty of teams and clubs being offered this year. Three weeks from now, we'll be having a family weekend. Be prepared, your families should already know the date. Any questions?" The teacher asked sternly to the classroom full of girls, her long black hair drawn back in a boring low ponytail and glasses framing her small, beady blue eyes. She glanced around the room, awaiting any questions. Surprisingly, one hand did finally shoot up when a student started getting anxious to leave her seat after a long wait.

"Ms. Mai, where's the bell?" She asked as the instructor shook her head in disbelief. A second later, said bell finally rang as a flurry of activity began. The girl laughed in relief. "Oh good! I thought we were never going to be let out of class!" She yelled to the teacher over the commotion with a huge smile. Another girl grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along out of the classroom.

"Come on, Maron. We've got to check that signup board before all the spots fill up." She urged as she forcefully pulled the blue haired girl, who glanced back into the room with concern.

"But, Chi-Chi! What about 18?" She asked as she resisted, glancing back to their cool, collected friend, still seated in her desk.

"What about 18?" Chi-Chi repeated skeptically as she gave Maron's arm another tug and easily maneuvered through the crowded hall. "You know she doesn't care about this kind of stuff!" Chi-Chi huffed as they reached the stairs and began hurriedly trudging up the stairs to their dormitory hall.

"I hate these uniforms." Maron whined as she followed Chi-Chi's brisk pace up the stairs, repetitively pulling down her shirt that kept bunching up around her waist. The tight, sliding sensation was so bothersome! Chi-Chi groaned as Maron skipped a few steps in an attempt to catch up with her hasty friend.

"Next time, try ordering your own size, not two sizes smaller!" Chi-Chi exclaimed breathily as the trek up the stairs finally ended and they reached their hall. Maron was panting by the time they reached the top. She might be more beautiful, but knew she was not nearly as athletic as Chi-Chi. "There's the board!" Chi-Chi yelled as she violently pushed her way through the surrounding crowd. Maron casually leaned against a far wall, catching her breath while Chi-Chi did her thing. She knew Chi-Chi would sign up for her, and could probably pick something better than Maron would pick for herself. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Chi-Chi returned to Maron with a triumphant grin.

"All signed up." She announced with a breath of relief as Maron only briefly wondered what they were signed up for. It didn't matter anyways, as long as she had the chance to wear a cuter uniform than the school one. "Let's get to our rooms and call it a day."

"And change out of these gaudy uniforms." Maron added, pinching the material of her vest and observing it with a deep frown. Chi-Chi shrugged at her indifferently. The uniform consisted of solid black or white shoes, a pleated skirt in white, orange and blue plaid, and a white t-shirt with blue vest. With the skirt hem landing at mid-thigh, Chi-Chi actually seemed to not mind it. Of course, she altered the skirt to make it fit that way (it was supposed to land at the knee). Maron's did not require that treatment, as it landed at mid-thigh without alteration needed. Hmm. Maybe her uniform _was_ too small. Chi-Chi and Maron reached their nice, cozy rooms, and Chi-Chi turned to Maron with a shrug.

"You wanna hang?" Chi-Chi asked. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of gum, extending it to Maron in offer. Maron gladly accepted the gum and began chewing it loudly before speaking.

"Sure." Maron smiled with a shrug as she followed Chi-Chi into her and Bulma's room. They stepped inside to find the new girl, Bulma-something already in there, chatting on the phone. Bulma quickly ended the conversation and hung up when she saw them.

"Hey, ladies. What's going on?" Bulma asked as Maron smiled slyly while watching Bulma hang up the phone. That sounded like it could have been a boyfriend conversation. Maron met Bulma earlier that day during class. To say Bulma was rude would be an understatement. She _acted_ polite, but Maron thought Bulma didn't like her, even though she never even did anything to Bulma.

"Who were you talking to, Bulma?" Maron asked teasingly. "Was that your boyfriend?"

"No. I had to break up with my boyfriend when I moved here, Maron. There was just no way it would work." Bulma sounded really sad when she talked about her boyfriend. Maron pouted blatantly at Bulma, feeling sorry for her.

"Listen, Bulma." Chi-Chi said. "It's good to keep up with your old friends and all, but try focusing on the people here. We'll have fun. I promise." Chi-Chi winked with a bright smile. Bulma smiled back as that meany, 18 sauntered into the room.

"Are you ready for the show, girls?" 18 announced smugly as she heaved a heavy duffle bag into the room. Chi-Chi and Maron's eyes lit excitedly right away. Maron didn't mind if the mean girl was here, not when she was bringing those thingies! Maron reached towards the bag with itchy fingers while Chi-Chi got to it first.

"Is that what I think it is?!" Chi-Chi shrieked, thinking just what Maron was thinking, as she reached for the bag and tore it from 18's hands. Bulma frowned warily at the girls.

"Listen, maybe I should go before I even know what you have in there." Bulma stated as she began to stand to leave.

"No!" Maron said as she assumed Bulma thought they had drugs or guns or something. She laughed as she grabbed Bulma's hand tight. "It's nothing like that, silly!"

"And you won't want to miss this." 18 added with a smirk as she watched Chi-Chi pulling things from the bag. Bulma sat back down on her bed as Maron smiled a big smile at the familiar items being withdrawn. Not that those bino-thingies were interesting. No, it was what they could _show_ the girls that made them exciting. Chi-Chi quickly pulled out the big, heavy cases. Lazuli grabbed one and pulled out a pair. Bulma scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and gazed out towards the lake view of their window. Chi-Chi laughed as Maron watched Bulma's reaction in amusement.

Bulma glanced back at her new friends with a funny, confused expression. Maron wondered if that was what _she_ looked like when everyone told her she was confused. After all, Bulma did look sort of like her. She would have to talk to Bulma sometime about maybe dying her hair. Maron grabbed the heavy gadget and was already pushing it to her eyes, gazing out the window in search of that beautiful sight.

"She'll never find them." 18 scoffed at Chi-Chi, who readily nodded in agreement as she prepared to look herself. Maron hoped 18 was wrong. She really, really wanted to find them! Like, right now!

"Find what, guys? Are you duck watchers or something?" Bulma asked. To Maron's utter surprise, 18 laughed loudly. Maron couldn't help laughing at the silly question either, but she never heard 18 laugh like that, especially not with a new girl. 18 certainly was never that friendly with Maron when she was new. Hell, she was hardly that friendly with her now.

"What's so funny?!" Bulma yelled out, startling everyone from their laughter, as Maron briefly removed her bino-whatevers from her eyes to jump in reaction to Bulma's outburst.

"I like you, Bulma. You're a riot." 18 decided with a straight face as she ignored Bulma's question and looked out the window through her own pair. Chi-Chi handed Bulma a pair and gestured to the view.

"Look through there, _past the lake_ , Bulma. You'll see quite a sight." Chi-Chi smirked before turning back to look through her bino-thing again. Maron decided to do the same as Bulma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion again and with a shrug, lifted her gadget. The only thing Maron could see was the place where she was supposed to see them, but it was so tiny! Across the lake was the huge secure, military compound. In the sight of the stupid tool that was _supposed_ to be helpful, Maron noted that the men in uniform guarding the roof looked like little ants. But she pouted angrily as she became fed up with her futile efforts.

"Guuuuys," Maron whined as she briefly lowered the heavy thing by her side, giving her aching arms a break as Bulma looked at her and set her own pair aside. Bulma's arms must have been tired, too. "I can't see! Everything just looks further away through these things!" Chi-Chi and 18's eyes remained fixated on their bino-thingies, their attention rapt in what they were seeing that Maron couldn't.

"You have the binoculars backwards again, Maron. Just turn them around." Chi-Chi grumbled absently. Maron sighed in relief as she hastily flipped the binoculars. _Binoculars_. She would have to remember that word. She'd have to remember which way they went, too.

"Bulma, keep looking." 18 ordered forcefully, causing Bulma to start in shock. 18 didn't glance once in Bulma's direction. Bulma frowned at 18 curiously before resuming her sightseeing, as Maron did the same, with the binoculars going the other way this time. Things were bigger this time! This was more like it. She lowered her view to try and find the other school. Bulma let out a sharp gasp when she found what the others were looking at and Chi-Chi and 18 chuckled in response while Maron growled to herself with frustration. Why could she only see the clouds and the sky? Where were the boys?

"You see now, Bulma?" Chi-Chi asked knowingly, following her question with a long sigh.

"Holy crap!" Bulma exclaimed after a few minutes of stunned silence. "I thought there were no boys here!" Where? Where are the boys? Maron thought as she darted her binoculars from spot to spot searching for something better than sky and lake.

"Not in the tactile sense." Chi-Chi complained bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Bulma asked slowly.

"She means that we have to abide by a very strict look-don't-touch policy here." 18 explained, sounding equally bitter.

"You mean there's no way to get across that lake and get your hands on some of those guys?" Bulma asked incredulously. That's exactly right! Maron had been trying to find a way around that for the past year. She had to get over there! Maybe there were some binoculars for hands or something, that could make you touch things all the way across the lake like they were right in front of you.

"No. There is no way across, Bulma." Chi-Chi said stubbornly as Maron frowned in disappointment, having her hopes dashed. "Don't you think 18 and I know what we're talking about with how long we've been here? And have you noticed the barbed-wire? They're strictly forbidden from fraternizing with our campus, and vice versa." Maron began to tune out the conversation as she sighted the school, finally narrowing in on the bronzed, muscular chests and backs of the shockingly attractive guys performing exercises in the yard across the lake. Yes!

"Hey, I found them, guys!" Maron announced excitedly with a bubbly laugh. 18 groaned in annoyance.

"What _is_ that place?" Bulma asked after a few minutes of gazing.

"Korin Military Academy." 18 answered, following with a moan of content as she spied something good.

"We've got to find a way to meet those guys!" Bulma exclaimed with determination. Yeah. Wasn't that obvious? "I mean, my old school had guys, but they didn't hold a candle to some of the guys here. Ohhh." Bulma muttered. Maron tried not to drool as she caught sight of two shirtless guys grappling.

"Where are you looking, Bulma?" Chi-Chi asked suddenly.

"Two guys grappling in the field." Bulma answered absently. First she shared her look, now she had to be watching the same guys Maron was? Why couldn't Bulma find her own guys to watch?

"Look a little to the left, you'll find the swimming pool. They're doing laps." Chi-Chi suggested. That was more like it. Thank you, Chi-Chi. Now Bulma could try ogling her own guys. The other girls could watch from a distance all they wanted. Once they made it across that lake, Maron would have them all drooling over _her_. The other girls would have to get in line behind her if they wanted any action. And Maron would waste no time being the first to get to those guys once someone found a way.


	3. Plans For The Weekend

A/N: A **guest** reviewer asked who Yamcha would be paired with...good question! I want to write the story and see how it plays out for now, though I do have some ideas. Also, I am not really familiar with military school or how it works, or what teachers are called, so if you know better and want to inform me, especially if you see any inaccuracies in this story, please PM me or review so I know and can fix that. I almost decided against military school b/c of my lack of understanding of it, but I really thought it was perfect for this cast, and I'm glad **Lady Lan** agrees. Thanks for that input.

* * *

"What is there to do in town around here?" The newbie asked as she seated herself comfortably at the lunch table between 18 and Chi-Chi. Making herself at home already. 18 frowned at her action before crossing her arms and glancing around the lunchroom. It was always slightly interesting, watching the other students come and go. Sometimes it was more interesting than what was happening at her own table. Especially on the days when that ditzy bimbo joined the table.

"We make our own good time around here!" The only other blonde at their table responded boisterously as 18 rolled her eyes at her roommate. If Launch had any ideas to start some shit this weekend, she'd be on her own. Not that 18 had anything against breaking rules, she just had no tolerance for suffering through enduring the ride of whatever stupid ass idea Launch would devise. It never ended well.

"What Launch is saying, Bulma," Chi-Chi said helpfully as Bulma's face contorted into a concerned expression at Launch's suggestion, "is that there's _jack_ to do out there." Chi-Chi smiled to herself, shaking her head at Launch, who scowled at Chi-Chi in return.

"You're kidding me. What about the movies? Or bowling?" Bulma asked as Chi-Chi and 18 both shook their heads in disagreement.

"There's one lousy theatre." 18 grumbled, startling everyone at her sudden voicing after she had been blending into the crowd silently for a while. She smirked at the attention. "You interested in watching that horror film that released a month ago?" 18 asked Bulma with a raised eyebrow. Bulma frowned disappointedly, slightly dropping her chin.

"No." Bulma sighed as she looked at the others. "This is only going to be my first weekend here. I guess it's not _too_ soon to be bored out of my mind." Bulma grumbled sarcastically as she crossed her arms and glowered towards the others. 18 glared at her. Bulma better back down with that attitude, or 18 would find a way to keep her busy this weekend that Bulma _wouldn't_ be happy about.

"Look," Chi-Chi said in that diplomatic tone that 18 knew all too well, "tomorrow night is Friday night, right?" She asked rhetorically as everyone waited impatiently for her to continue to a _point._ Any point would be good. "The maintenance people always leave the rec room unlocked after hours on Fridays." Chi-Chi said with a devilish smile. 18 frowned cautiously as she waited for Chi-Chi to continue. She could be onto something, but most likely, she was thinking of some lousy girly-girl idea. "Why don't we meet up at midnight in the rec room tomorrow night?" Yeah. It was sounding like a lousy idea.

"And do what?" Bulma asked curiously as she inclined her head towards Chi-Chi and rested her chin on her palm.

"Braid each other's hair?" 18 drawled sarcastically, scowling at Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi glared back at 18 as Launch laughed loudly.

"Hell, no!" Launch exclaimed, leaning over the table excitedly. "If we've got the rec room to ourselves, let's bring some booze! We can get drunk and wreck the place!" The others all frowned at Launch as she smiled at them expectantly, then glared at their lack of enthusiasm.

"We don't _have_ any booze, Launch." Chi-Chi retorted through clenched teeth before turning her attention to 18. "And no, we're not going to braid hair. Stop being a bitch, 18." Chi-Chi added the remark dismissively. If any of these other girls dared to call 18 a bitch, she'd punch them in the face. But this was Chi-Chi, and they had an understanding. She'd let it slide, just this one time. For now, she simply glared warningly at her long-time friend.

"You have a better idea?" Bulma asked as she lowered her hand from her chin and shifted her eyes to her untouched meal in front of her. None of them had been eating today. The lunch was crap. Launch was always eating a little bit here and there; she never really sat and ate a meal. And 18 suspected that Chi-Chi was on some new diet while Bulma probably never ate with all the paparazzi taking pictures of her all the time. 18 simply refused to eat this shit, even though she was a little hungry.

"Sure." Chi-Chi answered with a shrug, suddenly sounding self-conscious as Bulma surprisingly took a bite of the food. 18 sighed as she prepared to hear Chi-Chi's lousy idea. "We can play truth or dare." Chi-Chi suggested quietly, her statement sounding more like a question with the suddenly shy tone she used. Truth or dare. Wait. Hold on. That actually could be interesting. 18 rubbed her chin thoughtfully as the others took on equally pensive expressions. She'd love to get the truth out of the new girl on a lot of things. It would be fun to dare Launch to do something incredibly crazy, because 18 knew she was crazy enough to go through with the most extreme dares. Hell, it would be fun to dare Chi-Chi, just to torture her. She could see what being a bitch really was. She just hoped no one invited the dumbass. 18 smirked as she pictured how the game might go down. Yes. That was it.

"Let's do it." 18 said as her lip twitched in another brief smirk. Chi-Chi immediately smiled at 18's acceptance of the idea and picked up her fork, finally eating her own meal with a huge bite.

"Yes!" Launch exclaimed, pounding her fist on the table. "Sounds fun, girls!" She exclaimed as she stood from the table, grabbing her jacket and leaving her food behind. "I gotta go use the toilet. See you in class!" Launch exclaimed crassly before grabbing a few chips from her lunch tray and stuffing them in her mouth. As Launch ran off, 18 sneered at her retreating form. She shifted her vision from following Launch's movement to the people she passed. She noted that about half of the students were eating their own packed lunches, smart girls. The others were mostly not eating, and 18 was surprised to see Bulma and Chi-Chi both silently working on their meals at the moment.

"How can you eat that?" 18 finally asked hollowly as she crossed her arms and nodded towards the table where here untouched meal sat. Bulma and Chi-Chi looked at one another, blinking in surprise.

"It's not all that bad, really." Bulma said with an indifferent shrug while Chi-Chi frowned at her roommate disbelievingly.

"Bulma, if you think this isn't bad, you've got a lot to learn about food." Chi-Chi huffed in amusement. Chi-Chi turned her attention to 18, frowning. "I didn't have any time to cook this week, so I have to deal with what the cafeteria has. If you want better food next week, 18, just give me some money and I'll cook for you, too." Chi-Chi offered. 18 shrugged. Sure, Chi-Chi cooked good food, but she sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to boost her ego, getting all excited about the offer.

"Sure. I'll give you some money." 18 answered indifferently. That settled the shit food problem.

18 glanced around the room again, noting all the girls in school uniforms, most of them leaving the cafeteria and trashing their food now. All the girls looked miserable. Fucking Thursday. Aside from Monday, it was the most pointless day of the week. Had to spend the entire day just waiting for it to be Friday, so you could spend _that_ entire day excitedly anticipating Saturday. At least now, 18 had something to look forward to on Friday. This Thursday was suddenly a little less painful than the usual Thursdays, because Friday night, the girls would play.

* * *

"Take your seats, take your seats." The large, irritable teacher announced as a room full of students scrambled around the room, heading towards their assigned seats and pushing each other out of their way as they stumbled through the narrow alleys between the rows of desks. One zoomed swiftly into his seat, sitting upright and smiling widely as he was excited to begin the day. It was going to be a good day; he could feel it.

"Today we are going to discuss…" blah, blah, blah. Whatever the teacher was saying, he was too busy thinking about the weekend to pay attention. Hopefully it didn't have something to do with testing. He began to doodle, unable to contain his smile or the drool forming in his mouth as his movements with the pencil began to produce an image of a hamburger, looking really juicy. Oh, forget the weekend. He couldn't wait until lunch. And it was only first period.

"Mr. Son!" His head shot up at the shout of his name, looking wide-eyed at the furious teacher as the classmates surrounding him laughed and snickered. Oops. Should have paid more attention. Now the teacher was angry. He gulped and chuckled nervously as he dropped his pencil on the desk and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry, Captain Ginyu. What was that?" He asked sheepishly, realizing the teacher must have asked him some question pertaining to their lesson before he became angry and yelled his name. Captain Ginyu scowled at Goku silently for a minute as Goku stared blankly back at him. Maybe he was going to decide not to ask him the question. That would be good. If only he could put himself in Captain Ginyu's place and make that decision _for_ him. Maybe Ginyu would understand how tough it could be sometimes to be a student then. Since he couldn't do that, Goku would just keep staring back at Captain Ginyu until he made his decision, so he didn't ruin his chances of allowing the teacher to drop the whole idea.

"Explain…to the class.." Captain Ginyu began between calming breaths as he clasped his hands behind his back and began slowly pacing across the front of the classroom. A loud knock sounded on the classroom door and Captain Ginyu ceased his pacing, his eyes shooting immediately towards the door with a glare. "Enter." Captain Ginyu answered resentfully after a moment. The door slowly swung open just a few inches as a chubby head peeked into the classroom. Goku smiled as he recognized General Kaio, the kindly principal of the school.

"Captain Ginyu, can I see you in the hall for a moment?" General Kaio asked quietly as Captain Ginyu contorted his face into a bitter frown. With a terse nod, the Captain headed towards the door, grabbing the nob and turning with a stern glare to his class full of students.

"Remain in your seats and read. Do nothing else while I'm gone." Captain Ginyu ordered before following General Kaio through the door, closing it quietly behind him.

"Goku!" Goku's eyes slid to the side where his taller friend was quietly calling for his attention from the seat beside him. His other dark-haired friend chuckled quietly as Goku slightly turned his head to face them, hoping Captain Ginyu did not notice through the textured glass window framing the classroom, where the students could clearly see the silhouettes of the conversing instructors. "You got lucky." The tall student stated bluntly.

"Yeah! General Kaio knocked at just the right time. You would have _never_ had the answer to Captain Ginyu's question." His chuckling friend warned him. "Man, you really need to pay attention in class!" Yamcha whispered as he became serious, shaking his head as he kept his face towards his book, yet shifted his eyes to look at Goku.

"I can't!" Goku whispered in a slight whine as the other two laughed quietly. "I'm just too excited about the weekend. We need to do something exciting!" Goku decided with a wide smile, casting his friends a mischievous glance.

"You should be more worried about right now, Goku." His tall, bald friend scolded sternly as Yamcha nodded in agreement. "If Ginyu has to call you out on something again, you'll probably spend the weekend scrubbing the floors." He warned as Goku frowned deeply at him. Why was Piccolo being such a stick in the mud?

"Awww, he wouldn't make me do that." Goku decided lackadaisically. No one was that cruel. And last year, Ginyu promised he wouldn't punish anyone on the first weekend break.

"He wouldn't?" Piccolo challenged, crossing his arms smugly. "I hear Vegeta's already on toilet-scrubbing duty this weekend for defying a teacher's orders." Piccolo informed his friends with a smug grin. Goku gasped in realization before warily glancing towards the window with the still-conversing teachers.

"Good. Vegeta deserves it." Yamcha complained bitterly as he subconsciously rubbed his nose. "My nose still hurts from that sucker punch." Yamcha muttered with a pout.

"I'm not worried about Ginyu, or any other teachers. Today will be a good day." Goku easily decided with a smile as he resumed doodling, trying to look busy under the occasional scrutinizing glances of the instructor's shadow figure in the window. "But what do you want to do this weekend?" He whispered conspiratorially as he fixed his gaze on his paper.

" _If_ you manage to make it through the day without ruining your weekend," Piccolo began with a pointed look, "maybe we can, I don't know." Piccolo shrugged with a thoughtful frown. "We could always drive out to the desert and camp. It's really nice out there." Yamcha immediately groaned while Goku laughed to himself silently. He almost forgot about Piccolo's weird habit of doing nothing in the middle of nowhere. Not exactly what he had in mind.

"That's good too," Goku said slowly, wincing painfully at the thought of actually proceeding with the idea, "but I was thinking we could catch an underground boxing match." He whispered excitedly, biting his lip in anticipation of seeing a really good fight.

"Goku, are you crazy?!" Yamcha hissed, immediately wincing as his eyes flew to the window for any signs of possibly being heard. Goku and Piccolo looked to the window as well, waiting silently until the two instructional figures continued waving their hands in conversational gestures. Yamcha sighed in relief before he continued. "You could get expelled for being caught at a place like that!" Yamcha added anxiously. Goku slightly glanced over his shoulder to meet Yamcha's eyes.

"Really?" He asked in surprise as he scratched his chin. Didn't matter. They'd never know he was there. Unless… "That's too bad." Goku decided, crossing his arms and frowning in pensive disappointment. "I was really hoping to get in the ring and fight, myself. But I guess I can't do that if I have to worry about being caught." Yamcha and Piccolo sighed calmly before looking at one another and easing from their previously tense states. "I guess we'll just have to settle for watching." Goku decided with a toothy smile as his friends tensed again at the comment before the door opened and all the students spun forward in their chairs, eliciting small screeches along the floor from the subtle movements of the chairs.

"Good to see you were all sitting silently in your seats." Captain Ginyu said, looking angry. Goku wondered what made Captain Ginyu actually think they were being silent, and why he was so mad about it. "Now, who was I calling on before we were interrupted?" Captain Ginyu asked as he knit his brows together in concentration. A hand shot up a few rows ahead of Goku, and he tilted his head in surprise at the volunteer. "Ah, Mr. Konkichi. Was I calling on you?" Ginyu asked as he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the short kid in front of the class. The student nodded and began to answer the question Goku was supposed to answer as Goku sighed in relief. It really was turning out to be a lucky day. Class ended shortly after when the bell rang, and the students headed into the hall, walking together towards their next classes.

"Goku, I'm not going to any underground boxing match. I'm sorry." Yamcha said, raising his hands in a defensive manner before adjusting the collar of his uniform. Goku pouted at his friend in disappointment.

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

"Why not?!" Yamcha exclaimed, as if Goku should already know why not. Goku huffed as he thought about it for a minute. No, he didn't see any reason Yamcha should not want to go. "Because I don't want to get expelled! I need to graduate and get out of here this year!" Yamcha exclaimed, waving his hands frantically as Piccolo chuckled in amusement at his desperation.

"But you didn't worry about getting expelled when you decided to get the fake ID." Goku pointed out with a finger in the air as Yamcha quickly slapped his hand over Goku's mouth and glanced anxiously around the halls.

"Dammit, Goku! Keep your mouth shut about that around here!" Yamcha exclaimed as he slowly released his grip on Goku's mouth. Goku frowned dubiously at his friend.

"Okay. But I still don't see why you don't want to go." Goku stated plainly as he glanced at the door they were passing, realizing the next one would be his next classroom. He glanced at Yamcha again as he prepared to go into the class, noting his friends both remained silent. Maybe Piccolo wanted to go! "Piccolo? How about you?" Goku asked to his silent friend, who looked surprised at being asked.

"N-no thanks, Goku." Piccolo answered uneasily.

"Aw, come on!" Goku complained as he stopped walking just outside his classroom door. Piccolo and Yamcha needed to head to different classrooms, so they didn't have long to talk.

"Sorry, man." Yamcha said as he clapped a hand consolingly on Goku's back and slunk away, heading down the hall before he spun around. "Maybe we can find something else to do this weekend!" He called down the hallway before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

"Piccolo." Goku said pushily. "Come on. You'll be missing out on some great fights." Goku encouraged with a smile. Piccolo smirked at Goku's claim for only a moment before frowning again.

"Sorry, Goku. I'm sure it'll be great, but I really just want to spend some time alone this weekend." Piccolo relented. He nodded and turned down the hall as Goku reluctantly headed into the classroom, quickly taking his seat. He didn't linger long on his disappointment with his friends refusing to go. The fights would be great to watch, even if he had to go alone. Ooh! Vegeta would go! Goku smiled widely as he faced the board with that thought. Even if he had chores to do, the underground fights were usually late at night. Vegeta would be done by then, and he'd never turn down a good fight. Goku rubbed his hands together briskly in excitement. The bell rang and the teacher headed to the board as the class began. Goku glanced at the clock, smiling in satisfaction as the teacher started rambling about something and he realized happily how close they were getting to lunchtime. It really was turning out to be a good day. And this boxing match should be really fun!


	4. Options

The bell rang, and he closed his eyes with relief while the others mostly whooped with joy and ran out the door. Friday's classes were over. They were free for the weekend. Though, unlike the others, he didn't see much difference in the weekend than the weekdays. With a stoic frown, he swiftly rose from his desk, swinging the strap of his bag from the ground and over his shoulder as he slid the book off his desk and turned smoothly towards the door, gazing over the heads of the shorter students still slowly making their departure, practically trapped in the bottleneck the doorway had become. He pursed his lips thoughtfully before leaning against the wall of the classroom, aside the door, with his arms crossed.

It wasn't his style to anxiously wait in line. He'd calmly refrain from joining the conforming idiots who were in such a hurry to rush to the same place, just so they could do nothing special. After the crowd cleared, he ducked his head down before exiting through the doorway and calmly pacing through the halls, towards the dormitories. A few classmates called his names in cheery hellos and obnoxious bellows, but he failed to acknowledge them. Not that he couldn't. He just didn't feel like it.

Once reaching the peaceful retreat of his own dormitory and finding it surprisingly void of his roommate, he put his bag and book neatly in their places, neatly folded his freshly washed uniforms on his bed, placing them in a neat stack before moving them to his dresser drawer in an almost ceremonial manner. He liked calm and order in his surroundings. Most of the time. As he shut the drawer carefully, allowing it to quietly close, the dorm room door flew open and he huffed in silent annoyance to himself as he felt the rushing air from his roommate running into their room.

"Hi, Piccolo. How's it goin'?" The other asked politely. Piccolo shook his head. His roommate didn't really care how Piccolo was doing. For some reason a lot of students around him seemed to find the need to ask that unnecessary questions when they saw one another, despite the fact that most of them didn't really care, and they knew it. Piccolo refused to play that stupid game. Instead, he answered with the least amount of necessary syllables as he turned slightly to face his roommate.

"Tien." He rumbled with a slight nod before returning his attention to the neatness of his surroundings.

"I had a good day in class today, too. Thanks for asking, Piccolo." Tien remarked facetiously, crossing his arms as Piccolo rolled his eyes. And for some reason, they took offense when he didn't play their stupid game. An obnoxious, high pitched tune resonated from Tien's jacket and Piccolo immediately grimaced and covered his ears. He hated that stupid song!

"I told you to change that ringtone!" Piccolo yelled as he glared at his roommate, who was already placing the phone against his ear. At least that incessant ringing stopped. But now he had to listen to the irritating chatter and loud laughter of his roommate's one-sided conversation. Piccolo crossed his arms and sat on his bed, crossing his legs on his lap and closing his eyes as he exhaled loudly, forcing the irritating voice from across the room out of his mind. He put himself into another place mentally, and as he did so, the irritating chatter seemed to slowly disappear. He was at peace, only focused on the sound of his breathing. Until a rough hand clasped his shoulder, shaking him roughly until he was forced to open his eyes.

"What?!" Piccolo exclaimed angrily as he forced his eyes open to see the widely smiling and exuberant face of his roommate only inches from his. Piccolo's eyes widened in alarm at the proximity of his roommate as he instinctively leaned back from the other to distance himself.

"They're ready, man! Let's go get 'em!" Tien exclaimed with a rough clap on Piccolo's shoulder as he finally took a few steps back.

"Go get who?" Piccolo asked with a loud sigh of annoyance at the recent intrusion on his meditation.

"Not who, what!" Tien exclaimed giddily. "The IDs are ready!" Tien smiled as if he expected Piccolo to be equally excited about the development. Piccolo already made it clear to Tien that he had no interest in the IDs. Piccolo raised a brow and frowned at his roommate, deeply unamused. Did this kid never listen to a word he said?

"Good for you." Piccolo grumbled as he turned his back to his roommate, swiftly grabbing his book from his nightstand as he turned and opened it to read and blatantly ignore his roommate.

"Come on, Piccolo!" Tien growled in annoyance. "We're gonna have a great time tomorrow night! We're going to a bar and we're gonna get drunk." There was a pointed pause before Tien added. "And girls should be there." Piccolo could not help perking a brow in interest. But he had one condition that would make or break the deal.

"Who's going to the bar?" Piccolo asked cautiously as Tien released a relieved laugh at Piccolo finally showing a sign of interest.

"Me, Yamcha, Krillin, and you." Piccolo grimaced. Not the people he wanted to get drunk with. He could tolerate Tien, but not Yamcha, and Krillin was the new kid. He didn't know anything about him yet, except that he looked like a wuss.

"Why aren't the other guys going?" Piccolo complained as he frowned at his frustrated-looking roommate.

"Goku's got his mind set on going to some underground boxing match." Oh. He almost forgot about that. Goku and his reckless ideas. "And Vegeta's going with him. Not that we really wanted Vegeta to come with us anyways." Tien grumbled resentfully. Piccolo couldn't blame Tien. Aside from the times he kept silent for lengths of time, which Piccolo appreciated, Vegeta was hardly pleasant company, and even _more_ reckless than Goku.

"So? Are you coming with us tomorrow night?" Piccolo frowned deeply at Tien's expectant questions. If he had to pick between going to a bar with that worthless group, joining Goku and Vegeta for a show that was likely to get them kicked out of school, or staying at the dorm while all the others were guaranteed to be out so he'd have the place to himself, he would definitely take the latter option.

"Hell, no." Piccolo replied haughtily with a smug smile. He chuckled as Tien frowned resentfully at his answer, and then turned to leave the room with a huff.

"Fine. Suit yourself. That's what I get for trying to be friendly." Tien grumbled bitingly as he left the room, swinging the door closed behind him as he was likely heading to Yajirobe's room to retrieve those IDs. Good. Thanks to those fake IDs, maybe tomorrow night, Piccolo would finally have his chance to meditate in peace and quiet while the others all went out only to return late at night, drunk and beaten. They were all fools, anyways. Some were his friends, but they were still fools nonetheless. Who knew what kind of stupid stories they'd come back with after their big night out? He was definitely taking the best option.

* * *

"Alright, Chi-Chi. Truth or dare." 18 challenged with a predatory smirk. Chi-Chi gulped nervously. Why did it have to be 18?

She'd surely make Chi-Chi do something incredibly disgusting or embarrassing if she chose the dare. But if she chose truth, 18 would make her reveal something equally humiliating. Chi-Chi glanced around the rec room at her friends. Bulma was watching her with a sympathetic, patient gaze. Launch was smiling widely, her eyes lit with excitement as she waited to see what would be decided. 18 scowled impatiently with her arms crossed. Chi-Chi knew that the longer she waited, the more vicious 18 would be. The other girls were draped comfortably around the rec room across bean bags and couches, all except 18, who was not only impatiently waiting to challenge Chi-Chi, but had just finished putting a handful of ice cubes in her bra, Bulma's dare to her. Which only made things worse for Chi-Chi. 18 was feeling more vindictive than usual in the face of her current suffering. Chi-Chi grit her teeth and exhaled loudly as she decided. A truth could not be nearly as hard as a dare, right?

"Truuuuth." Chi-Chi muttered slowly, wishing to withdraw the word as she said it, based on the gleeful smirk crossing 18's face. It was obviously just what she wanted Chi-Chi to choose. Alright, enough worrying! If 18 wanted to challenge her like that, Chi-Chi was not going to back down. She looked back at 18 with new-found determination. Bring it.

"Tell us, Chi-Chi," 18 drawled slowly as Launch hissed through her teeth with excited anticipation, "are you still a virgin?" Chi-Chi's face immediately fell into a disbelieving glare at the question. 18 already knew very well that she was. 18 was, too. Sure, they were almost out of high school and almost eighteen, but was it so unusual to have never been with a guy at that age? Like, ever. Like, not even a kiss.

"Come on, Chi-Chi. You can tell us." Bulma coaxed teasingly with a sly smile. Chi-Chi frowned defiantly at her onlookers. The girls who _hadn't_ spent their entire high school career in an all-girls school likely were more experienced with the opposite sex, but Chi-Chi would not let that intimidate her. At least she knew she was not alone.

"Yes, I am." Chi-Chi answered with pride as she crossed her arms. She glared at 18 challenging as she added, "So are you."

"Hey!" 18 grunted angrily. "That was not part of the question!" She fumed as she pointed an accusatory finger at Chi-Chi. That's what she gets for opening up the topic, Chi-Chi thought with a smug smile.

"But it _is_ true." Bulma commented in amusement as she eyed 18 keenly. 18 glared at Bulma, and then Launch, who Chi-Chi noticed was chuckling to herself at the current conversation.

"Well, excuse us!" Chi-Chi announced angrily, glaring at the other two girls who were likely a couple of sluts in school before they came here, anyways. "We haven't had any boys around for the past three years like you! But that's fine with us." She said as she crossed her arms again with a defiant pout. "Better than just being a number like you two probably were." She added the snide remark with her nose high in the air. Yeah, she was a little embarrassed about exposing how inexperienced she was, but she'd be damned if she let it play out that way. She opened her eyes carefully upon hearing a strange rumbling sound, and noticed with a frown that Bulma was growling at her. _Growling_ at her. What?

"You take that back, Chi-Chi!" Launch yelled at Chi-Chi, rising from her seat on the couch, as Bulma lunged forward and grasped the collar of Chi-Chi's blouse intimidatingly. Chi-Chi grimaced as she looked towards Bulma's hand on her. She was ruining her beautiful silk!

"I am no one's number! I'll have you know, I am just as pure as you are!" Bulma remarked with a proud huff as she roughly released her grasp on Chi-Chi's attire. First of all, no one put their hands on her! Chi-Chi roughly pushed Bulma back to distance themselves, glaring furiously at the other woman. Secondly, how dare Bulma throw it in her face that she...that she...is just as...pure...? Chi-Chi's glare softened into an expression of bewilderment as Bulma's own glare contorted into a scowl.

"What?" Chi-Chi asked cluelessly as she dropped her hands to her sides.

"You heard me." Bulma insisted as she crossed her arms and continued scowling in spite of the slight blush appearing on her cheeks. Chi-Chi turned her gaze curiously towards Launch. Was that why she was angry as well? Did she really falsely accuse them? Launch gawked at Chi-Chi as well as the others, who seemed to have had the same thought and were staring at Launch as well.

"Hey! Don't you all look at me like I'm the only hussy in the room!" Launch exclaimed as she balled her fists tightly by her sides. "Fine! I'm a virgin, too. Dammit!" Launch exclaimed with frustration as she clenched her teeth and turned her face away from the others. Chi-Chi just could not believe it. It was normal for girls from their school, but for girls from the outside, that had been to real world schools? Well, they had to have at least-

"But you _have_ kissed boys before?" Chi-Chi asked expectantly, unaware of how much more she exposed about herself with that question. Bulma raised a brow at Chi-Chi with an amused smile before glancing at the other two girls observantly.

"And you haven't?!" Launch exclaimed suddenly in outrageous disbelief. Chi-Chi felt her cheeks heat immediately as she cringed under the scrutiny of everyone around her. Launch broke out in loud, obnoxious laughter, tossing her head back as Bulma and 18 chuckled quietly.

"Shut up!" Chi-Chi shrieked, her mortification building into rage as she stood over the other girls. "Ugh!" She cried after a few minutes when the laughter subsided and she realized there was no point in threatening or arguing the point any further. This was some great idea, playing truth or dare. Chi-Chi blew a raspberry as she plopped backwards into a beanbag, heavy with frustration.

"Besides, is there really something wrong with being a number?" 18 asked playfully, smirking as she looked around to be sure the girls caught the reference to her preferred name. Yet, 18's question was absorbed more meaningfully by the girls. They were curious, and hormonal, and maybe going off into adulthood without any experience wasn't so desirable. In truth, they were tired of waiting, especially when they were constantly taunted by the amazing buffet of constantly-exercising buff guys across the lake.

"Hey." Bulma said as the others quieted their laughter to hear what Bulma had to say. "I have an idea." Chi-Chi looked the other direction, glaring towards the window with a deep scowl as she was pretty much done with talking or playing this stupid game anymore. Maybe she would die a virgin, at the rate she was going. The thought only worsened her mood. She could see the lake through the window, with all the lights of the military school across the way sparkling on the very still water, the visual reminder of their handsome neighbors' existence only further instigating her frustration towards the matter.

"Is it a good one?" 18's low voice grumbled dubiously.

"Of course it is." Bulma replied haughtily. Chi-Chi shook her head. She was ready to call it a night.

"What's your idea, Bulma?" Launch asked with a clear note of interest in her voice.

"We want to meet some guys, and there are really, really cute boys just across the lake, right?" Bulma said excitedly. Chi-Chi groaned to herself as she leaned forward and slowly eased out of her beanbag seat.

"Right. The school we can't get to." 18 replied irritatedly.

"Exactly. We can't get to the school, so we'll have to find another way to meet up with them." Chi-Chi was rising to her feet as Bulma said this, and her curiosity got the best of her as she froze to hear Bulma expand on her appealing suggestion.

"How?" 18 drawled cynically, her voice muffled. Chi-Chi turned around to face her friends, seeing 18 bracing a pillow against her chin as she slumped forward on the couch, and Launch pulling her knees up with her arms wrapped around them, fitting her entire body on one cushion of the couch. Bulma stood with determination and placed her hands on her hips.

"What do you think _they_ want?" Bulma asked knowingly. Launch's eyes brightened and a wide smile formed on her face. Chi-Chi and 18 exchanged a glance with wide-eyes. They'd never really thought about what the guys wanted. But of course, it was obvious. They were at a strict all-boys school, after all.

"Girls! Tits! Ass!" Launch suddenly yelled exuberantly. Chi-Chi broke her gaze from 18 to roll her eyes at how Launch sounded like some cheerleader promoting pornography.

"We just have to set the bait, and they'll come to us." Bulma answered with a devious smirk as she crossed her arms.

"I am so in!" Launch cried as she suddenly jumped to her feet.

"Count me out, Bulma." 18 grumbled as she harshly tossed her clutched pillow aside and smoothly stood from the couch. "Whatever you're thinking, it'll never work. You bait guys, and the first thing you're going to catch will be all the guppies." 18 sighed heavily as she began to leave the room, heading Chi-Chi's direction. Chi-Chi grabbed 18's arm as she almost passed, feeling, for some reason, compelled to make her friend stay. 18 frowned deeply at Chi-Chi's grasping hand on her arm, but stilled her gait.

"To catch the big fish, we'll need to put out some _really_ good bait, girls." Bulma decided with a mischievous smile as Chi-Chi's eyes met hers in understanding. "And it just so happens," Bulma added with provocative wiggle of her hips and brows while she demonstratively raised her hands to cup her own breasts a couple of times, "we've got the best bait in town." Bulma laughed gleefully at her playful demonstration.

Launch joined Bulma in laughing loudly at Bulma's lewd suggestion while 18 turned to look at Bulma with a straight face, yet Chi-Chi _did_ catch a subtle raise of her brow. Chi-Chi chuckled nervously as she considered the idea. She didn't like the idea of doing anything too forward, but...she couldn't say she wasn't interested. She'd been watching those boys from a distance for too long. And Bulma was smart. She couldn't be leading them into a bad idea, could she?

"Tomorrow night." Bulma said with a determined nod as she lowered her hands to her hips. Chi-Chi nodded in agreement. If they waited too long, she might have to reconsider the idea. Tomorrow night, they'd put Bulma's plan into action.


	5. First Encounter

A/N: I have to laugh as I'm looking through the reviews. I have never seen so many comments with the word "shenanigans" before, which is just one of those words that always makes me laugh. But, that is what's happening in this story, and it is a far lighter tone than my other story I'm writing right now, as some of you have noted. That's sort of why I got started with this one. Needed a little reprieve from the dark and serious writing on occasion, so I'm working on this one in between, depending on my mood. I updated the summary to show the pairings I plan, for those of you wondering about Yamcha. Thanks for all your interest so far, guys!

* * *

"Alright, girls. You all understand the plan, right?" Bulma asked bossily as she darted her eyes side to side in observance of the other people filling the dark and college-atmosphere filled bar the group was lucky to sneak into. Launch smirked widely as she followed Bulma's gaze, taking in the scene.

There was a lousy band playing some cover music in the corner, a heavily-tattooed bartender behind the bar, waitresses darting between tables and carelessly splashing drink on the patrons as they passed, and the floor was sticky as hell. Damn, she loved places like this! If only they were here to drink. Maybe she could sneak something. Not that Bulma's plan didn't sound like a good idea to her. It was a close second to the alcohol. Though, it did seem like Chi-Chi was having second thoughts, judging by the way she anxiously repeatedly glanced over her shoulders and clasped her hands together tightly.

"We've got it, Bulma." 18 replied confidently to Bulma's question while fixing her gaze intensely towards the bar. Launch followed 18's gaze, seeing nothing but a few empty stools and some shrimpy-looking bald guy at the bar where 18 was looking. Launch pursed her lips thoughtfully and shrugged. 18 hardly seemed to show interest in anything, so if it was gonna be some self-conscious-looking little man, all the power to her. At least she was human enough to notice someone.

"So, see any prospects?" Bulma asked with an amused smirk as she seemed to be watching 18 just as Launch was. 18's fixed gaze never lost her target while Chi-Chi dubiously shrugged at Bulma, looking ready to bolt. Launch was just about to wrap an arm over Chi-Chi's shoulder and insist that she stayed, when her eye caught sight of something that completely took her attention. Launch let her mouth hang open, blatantly staring at the pair of young men chatting at the small round table in the corner.

He was tall and muscular. He wasn't the only one in the bar that fit that description, yet there was something about him that drew Launch to him. She immediately knew, if she was going to go through with this pact of theirs and lose her virginity to some guy she'd just met, she wanted it to be him. Judging by his age and build, and even by the looks of his friend, he was definitely a student of the Korin Military Academy across the lake. She couldn't imagine how he and his friend got into this place, but she wasn't going to let him out of her sight now. Without hesitation, Launch stood from her seat and began stalking towards her prey.

"Launch!" Bulma called scoldingly as Launch frowned upon the reprimand without even flinching or turning back to see the others. She was on a mission now, and didn't care if it ruined Bulma's precious planning. She didn't need the plan, and was not going to let this one get away. She ignored the angry growl behind her, likely 18, as she continued towards the table where the young man spoke with his friend, oblivious to her approach. She smirked widely as she placed a hand on her hip and tapped the enticing guy on the shoulder harshly. A shudder ran through her at that simple contact. Damn! What was that man made of?

"Hi." He said with a perplexed smile as he slowly turned towards Launch, his dark-haired friend ending the conversation and staring at her in wide-eyed surprise.

"Hi, yourself!" Launch exclaimed with a wide smile as she placed her other hand on her hip, looking the man up and down with hungry eyes.

"Uh...can I help you?" He asked with a wary frown as he observed Launch's forward attitude and his cheeks visibly tinged pink. Oh, he was into her. She just knew it.

"My name's Launch. What's yours?" She asked the stranger with another saucy smile, completely ignoring his speechless friend, who was still gawking at her. Couldn't the guy take a hint here? Why didn't he beat it? Launch scowled at the other guy as her man of interest answered her question.

"Tien." He replied with a forceful note to his voice, making Launch shift her gaze back to him.

"So, Tien," Launch said with a smirk as she extended one arm from her hip to brush against his chest, "what are you up to tonight?" She asked with a sultry look as she leaned into him. The other girls might have been shy, but she sure as hell wasn't. She would make damn sure that this guy knew she wanted him.

"N-nothing!" Tien exclaimed worriedly, looking towards his friend for help. Launch frowned with displeasure at his unexpected nervousness. What'd she say? He should have been getting interested by now! And what the hell was with the third wheel? As the other guy began to say something, Launch immediately interrupted, yelling loudly at him.

"Will you get out of here?!" Launch exclaimed as she raised a fist in a threatening gesture towards the irritating presence. Both men looked shocked by her outburst, even scared, so she smirked and stepped threateningly towards the unwanted friend, thrusting her fist towards him again and enjoying the way he flinched. "I'm trying to talk to your friend here!" Launch exclaimed loudly with a pointing finger extended towards Tien. She looked towards Tien again, immediately frowning deeply when Tien was no longer there. Instead, he was approaching the nearest exit, as she just sighted him reaching for the door.

"Hey!" She called angrily towards Tien as the friend yelled and hurriedly darted away in the opposite direction, probably towards another exit. Launch growled angrily as she proceeded towards the door, after Tien. She ignored the pursuit of clicking footsteps behind her as she violently slammed the door open and exited the bar.

"Tien!" Launch called, smiling hesitantly when a figure in the distance turned at the call of the name, before darting away. "Tien!" Launch called angrily to the disappearing figure as she heard the door to the bar swing open and closed behind her. A delicate hand landed on her shoulder as she snapped her fingers with a scowl and stared after Tien's shadow retreating around the corner.

"Launch! What the hell were you doing?" Bulma's voice reprimanded near her ear as Launch frowned and turned around to see the other girls glaring at her. Apparently they had followed her out. Didn't they have men of their own to chase after? Launch crossed her arms tightly and assumed a defensive stance.

"What?" She questioned with a defensive glare, challenging the other girls to dare say anything more. She was in no mood right now. Bulma's jaw dropped in disbelief, though she continued glaring at Launch, while 18's glare only deepened into a truly hateful look. They looked ready to attack. Chi-Chi, though, beat them to it as she stepped forward and poked her finger into Launch's chest, yelling obnoxiously.

"You idiot! You just chased away any chances any one of us might have had tonight!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as Launch sneered at the other girl and angrily grabbed the wrist of the poking hand tightly, of which Chi-Chi seemed to take no note as she continued ranting. "We had a plan for a reason! You scared him away! Shit! You scared the whole bar away with your tactless attempt at flirting!" Chi-Chi growled angrily as Launch contorted her brows in disbelief and looked to the others to make sure she was not the only one seeing how extremely Chi-Chi was overreacting. It wasn't like Chi-Chi was even going after anyone. The other two seemed as bewildered as Launch, so she frowned at Chi-Chi knowingly as she placed her hands on her hips with a haughty attitude.

"Bulma made the plan, not you, Chi-Chi!" Launch exclaimed as Chi-Chi frowned deeply at her. "And I did not ruin my chances!" Launch exclaimed indignantly before calming a little and smiling to herself as she thought again about Tien's first reaction to her. "He was so into me!" Launch exclaimed proudly and loudly as her smile widened. The other girls shook their heads and exchanged wary glances, but Launch didn't care. She'd meet Tien again somehow and find out why he ran off. There was no way it had anything to do with her.

* * *

He huffed as he closed the door behind him, struggling to catch his breath as he looked at his two friends beside him, breathing just as harshly. After a few more short pants of breath, the taller of his friends exhaled heavily and spoke.

"Think...anyone saw us?" Tien asked as he brushed a hand over his sweaty brow. Yamcha shook his head in disagreement. It wasn't easy, but he was pretty sure they made it back into their school dormitory unseen after their night out, however fruitless the night might have been. Yamcha was thoroughly disappointed that the night had to be cut short. He didn't even have the chance to talk to a single girl! Of course, he'd spent most of the evening just trying to gather the nerve to do so. But still, he blamed Tien's hasty departure from the bar for the fact that it never happened.

"We better get back to our rooms, guys." Krillin piped in, having finally caught his breath as he turned to head down the hall. Yamcha nodded as he moved to follow his friend quietly. They had to be careful not to be heard if they wanted to avoid any punishment for staying out past curfew. And they sure as hell didn't want any authority figures catching them with alcohol on their breath, or fake IDs in their possession. Yamcha didn't think they were drunk. They hadn't stayed at the bar long enough to reach that point. They didn't have the chance to, after Tien suddenly bolted from that crazy blonde that came onto him.

"Why did you think she knew about the IDs?" Yamcha asked Tien curiously. Tien had explained that being his reason for running, after Krillin finally met them outside the bar, but Yamcha still couldn't understand why he thought that. He had been rolling the possibility around in his head since Tien mentioned it, and it wasn't making any sense. She looked a little young to be a cop.

"That's how they work. Don't you watch movies?" Tien asked insistently. Yamcha frowned and exchanged a dubious glance with Krillin, who shrugged and shook his head in confusion.

"I think she was just a really cute girl that was into you, and you blew it, man." Yamcha finally said with an amused chuckle as Krillin snickered in agreement.

"She might have been cute, but she was a little pushy. Don't you think?" Tien asked, meeting Yamcha's eyes in anticipation of an agreement. Yamcha frowned fearfully as he remembered how that girl threatened him in the bar. Maybe Tien was right to run away from her. Maybe. But then again, a girl was a girl, and Launch was a cute one at that.

"You should have hit on her. I'm sure, at the very least, she would have kissed you. Maybe even more!" Yamcha whispered, prodding Tien tellingly with his elbow as he met Krillin's eyes. Krillin nodded and chuckled with a knowing smile. Tien scowled at Yamcha's jab as they continued down the hall, just about to reach Tien and Piccolo's room, where Piccolo was likely already asleep. Tien reached for the door, very carefully opening it as Yamcha and Krillin exchanged an understanding look. They nodded a wordless, curt goodnight to Tien's brooding visage as they continued down the hall, just a few doors from their room.

Yamcha was sighing with relief when they neared their door and he realized they were going to make it back without being caught. Maybe the whole fake ID idea wasn't as great as it sounded. At least they had a little to drink, but they could have been caught! Yamcha shook his head at the disappointing possibility just as he noticed the door to the dorm entrance at the other end of the hall ahead swinging open, much too fast. Yamcha froze and grit his teeth as Krillin did the same, and the door slammed open, with two figures stalking inside, noisily. What the hell was wrong with them?! Yamcha glared at the other two, who failed to notice him and Krillin stalking around in the dark hall as they headed for their own door, too locked in their verbal recounting of an apparently enthralling night of brutal fights.

"Hey!" Krillin finally hissed in a harsh whisper down the hall, failing to catch the attention of the noisy pair as Yamcha glanced around nervously for any sign of the Colonel or whoever was on duty for the night, likely to show up and expel them all after the boisterous conversation the other two were having. "Hey!" Krillin tried again, a little louder as Goku finally froze, turning his head in their direction curiously. "What the hell are you doing?" Krillin fumed warily, now joining Yamcha in nervously searching their surroundings for the expected presence of angered authority figures. Goku looked at Vegeta, who hadn't bothered looking away from their door as he was already turning the handle.

"We're just going to bed." Goku answered with an indifferent shrug as Vegeta rudely continued ignoring the others and opened the door, stepping into his room without even an acknowledging glance down the hall. Yamcha was certain it was him that slammed that door open. He probably intentionally made all that noise so late just to wake up and piss off everyone else in the hall. Nice work, Vegeta. The perfect asshole as usual. And those two guys were the only ones of their friends serious about pursuing a military career. Yamcha felt bad for the guys who would end up being placed under Vegeta's authority when that guy reached a position of power.

"'Night, guys." Goku said with a wave to the other end of the hall, not bothering to whisper, as amazingly, no one came to reprimand them. Of course, Yamcha wasn't going to risk lingering in the hall another second longer, becoming the ones to be punished for Goku and Vegeta's carelessness. He darted for their nearby door, hastily opening it and zooming inside as Krillin had the same idea, immediately following.

"What is with those guys?" Krillin immediately complained once they were safely in their room. Yamcha shook his head and sighed in disbelief at what just happened. Those two seemed like they were from another planet sometimes.

"Never mind them." Yamcha said dismissively as he shifted his thoughts elsewhere and smirked at Krillin, recalling another, seemingly less crazy blonde he had spotted in the bar that night. "You see that blonde eyeballing you at the bar?" Yamcha asked Krillin knowingly, startling his roommate who blushed and turned his face away while stuttering foolishly as Yamcha chuckled to himself and began dressing for bed.

"I...I..." Krillin stuttered as he opened his drawer, keeping his back to Yamcha and obviously uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Yeah. All of Launch's friends were pretty hot." Yamcha interrupted, feeling the need to ease some of the pressure off his embarrassed friend as he closed his drawer and plopped backwards into his bed. "Didn't that one with blue hair look familiar to you?" Yamcha asked thoughtfully as he propped his arms behind his head, lying on his back. He could have sworn he'd seen her before. She was really cute, either way. He wished he'd had the chance to talk to her. Yamcha heard the bed springs across the room, knowing Krillin had crawled into his bed as well. After a long pause with no answer, Yamcha smirked to himself. "No. You wouldn't have noticed her. You were too busy watching the blonde!" Yamcha teased as Krillin shuffled uncomfortably in his bed.

"No, I wasn't! I...didn't even see any blonde watching me." Krillin injected stubbornly. Yamcha rolled his eyes. There was no way a guy would fail to notice a girl like that checking him out. "I really didn't!" Krillin exclaimed when he realized Yamcha didn't believe his claim. Right after his denial, there was a startling knock on the door.

"Lights out! Quiet!" An adult, male voice scolded through the door. Yamcha cringed at the surprising address as Krillin immediately silenced himself. Sure, now they came out to check. It was a good thing they didn't come earlier. Yamcha sighed in relief at the sound of retreating footsteps outside the door as his bed began to feel comfortable, his eyelids heavy. It really was a long night. Maybe next time they went out, the night could last longer and they could have more fun. Maybe they'd be lucky enough to have another run-in with the blue haired beauty he spotted at the bar.


	6. Sunday Morning

A/N: Just to answer a few review questions, the students in both schools are allowed to leave campus on the weekends, but not allowed to have visitors without approval at the dorms, and approved visitors would be family members and such. I don't think the girls would get in trouble with the school for what they have in mind, but their parents certainly wouldn't be happy. And yes, Goku and Vegeta were at the underground boxing match while the other guys went to the bar and Piccolo stayed home. We missed whatever happened there, but there will be plenty more outings coming up with different funny moments.

* * *

He traveled down the empty hall with a confident strut, a towel over his shoulder and shower caddy in one hand, smirking as an idea occurred to him and he doubled back, stopping at the door of the dorm residents who had made so much noise in the hall late at night when everyone else was trying to sleep. Or, trying to avoid being caught, in his case.

He could hear muffled snores resonating through the door and chuckled to himself as he placed his fist against the wooden door, before pulling it back and banging it harshly, to the point where the door vibrated against its framing with a loud BANG, BANG, BANG!

The snoring paused for only a minute, shortly resuming after in a slightly different tone as he frowned in disappointment. That was anticlimactic. Until the other resident shouted through the door and he smiled gleefully at his success.

"Go the fuck away!" The furious, groggy voice bellowed as Tien chuckled, covering his mouth as an explosive laugh threatened to emerge, and he had no intentions of disturbing the other residents any further. But, what the hell, he thought with a shrug. There was no better way to start off a Sunday morning right like pissing off Vegeta. Especially since it seemed that Goku was immune to the noise. That guy could sleep through anything sometimes. He cupped his free hand against his cheek and the door as he spoke directly into it, thoroughly amused by the little game he'd started.

"It's oh six hundred! Rise and shine, boys!" He hollered loudly, his voice muffled on his end as he pressed into the door. But he was certain they would have heard it much louder on the other side. So he waited, deciding to make another attempt when he wasn't hearing a response.

As he pressed his face harder against the door in preparation of another disruption, the door suddenly emitted a loud crack and vibrated painfully against his face, forcing him to stumble back from the force and clutch the caddy he'd almost dropped as he used the cupping hand to rub his mouth and nose, which received the hit the hardest. He grimaced in pain as he shook his head and prepared to walk away. Sometimes messing with Vegeta just wasn't worth the price.

"I TOLD YOU TO GO THE FUCK away!" Vegeta yelled again, his last word muffled as he was likely smothering his face into his pillow or turning away from the door to seek some comfort and find more rest.

Tien's pained scowl slowly disappeared as he continued walking towards his room and a smile re-emerged on his face. Knowing Vegeta was suffering from his efforts that morning made his pain more than worth it. He'd just have to make sure that he didn't put his face against the door next time he tried that. Vegeta would find more things to throw then, for sure. He opened his door, not surprised to find his roommate meditating cross-legged on his bed.

"Morning, Piccolo." He whispered as he quietly set his things down, expecting no response. It was sometimes really annoying when Piccolo got into his tranquil states. He had to be quiet and not touch his roommate, or he would freak out. Not that that stopped him all the time, but he did at least _try_ to be a good roommate.

"Was that you?" Piccolo grumbled without moving a muscle, his eyes still closed as Tien quickly spun in alarm at the sound of the voice. It was a rare thing, getting a response from Piccolo in meditation. But what was he talking about?

"Uh…yeah, it's me, Tien." Tien answered with a wary shrug, wondering if that clarification was the reason for Piccolo's question. Piccolo's eyes slowly opened as a stern scowl crossed his face. Tien sat hesitantly on his own bed, eyeing his friend from across the room. Well, maybe not friend. Piccolo was more like…an acquaintance. He _could_ be a friend, if he'd be a little more sociable. Not that Tien minded that much. He liked a little alone time every now and then as well. But Piccolo really needed to learn to get out every once in a while.

"You know," Piccolo drawled, glowering at Tien and bracing his hands on his knees while leaning forward slightly in an intimidating manner, "it's bad enough I had to be disturbed last night by slamming doors and midnight room checks. Did you really have to add to it this morning with more of that shit?" Piccolo growled as his eyes narrowed accusingly at Tien. Tien frowned guiltily. He hadn't thought that prank could possibly bother the others, or he wouldn't have done it so early in the morning. Piccolo must have had freakishly good hearing.

"Sorry, Piccolo." Tien apologized with a sigh as he rubbed the top of his smooth, freshly shaven and still-moist head guiltily. "I really didn't think it would bother anyone." Piccolo glared at that last remark.

"You really _didn't_ think." Piccolo complained as he uncrossed his legs and swung them over the side of the bed.

"Well, hey!" Tien said with a wide smile, reaching his hand forward in a friendly gesture. "Let me make it up to you! I'll bring your breakfast to you this morning!" Tien nodded hopefully as Piccolo took a deep breath and sighed heavily in annoyance, causing Tien's smile to falter.

"I don't eat breakfast. Remember?" Piccolo asked through clenched teeth. Tien grimaced at the remark. Piccolo was definitely irritated. Why did he have such a difficult roommate? Then again, it could be worse. He could have been stuck with Vegeta. Maybe he shouldn't complain.

"Well…what can I do to make it up to you?" Tien asked as he scratched the back of his neck pensively, his eyes darting around the room as if they'd land on something which would give him an answer to that question. His eyes settled on his wallet, tossed open on the nightstand as he left it late last night, which surprisingly _did_ give him an answer to his question.

"Hey! I'll tell you all about what happened last night." Tien decided with a satisfied smile as Piccolo sighed and glanced towards the ceiling, crossing his arms and not responding. But he didn't refuse. He didn't groan.

"You would have told me, anyways." Piccolo finally grumbled, nearly silently, as Tien stared back at him for a moment. "Go on." Piccolo groaned with a slight eye roll before setting an attentive gaze towards Tien, who smiled in jubilation at finally reaching a compromise, of sorts.

"We went to a bar. The place was a real dive…" Tien began animatedly as Piccolo immediately raised a flat palm in a gesture indicating for him to stop. Tien contorted his brows in confusion as Piccolo shook his head in refusal. What? Not even a full sentence and Piccolo lost interest already?

"Skip the minute details. I don't need to hear it." Piccolo stated flatly. "Just tell me if anything interesting happened." Tien frowned, first in surprise, and then thoughtfully. He scratched his head as he wondered where to begin. Did he really want to start off talking about that hot girl that scared the hell out of him? She _was_ the most interesting thing that happened last night. And there wasn't much else to work from, given the short amount of time they were there. Tien nodded decisively to himself and smiled smugly at Piccolo.

"I think we almost got busted for those fake IDs." Tien said as he crossed his arms and Piccolo slowly nodded in a very subtle reaction. "Some girl approached me and Yamcha at the bar. She asked what I was _up to_." Tien said, raising his brows meaningfully as he expected Piccolo to catch onto the significance there. Piccolo pursed his lips thoughtfully as a few minutes of silence ensued.

"Then?" Piccolo asked, sounding totally indifferent.

"Then I took my chance and ran off. What else was I supposed to do?" Tien responded stubbornly as Piccolo chuckled lightly in amusement. Well, at least he was finally amused. But what the hell was so funny about that? They could have been in serious trouble if they were caught.

"You ran away from a girl?" Piccolo laughed loudly, slightly tossing his head back as Tien felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment. Damn. When he put it that way, it did sound pathetic.

"I didn't think she was just some girl, alright?!" Tien yelled defensively. "You should have seen her! She was…aggressive!" Piccolo laughed loudly at Tien's claim, and he realized he was only making it worse as amazingly, his cheeks burned even hotter and he wished he could shrink into his mattress. "Ugh. Dammit, Piccolo." Tien groaned irritatedly, turning his head harshly to look away from his still-snickering roommate. "Nevermind." Piccolo's laughing quickly ceased after that word was uttered and Tien looked towards Piccolo cautiously.

"What else happened?" Piccolo asked calmly. Tien shook his head in disbelief at Piccolo's sudden change in demeanor.

"Uh…" Tien began as he took a moment to return to the memories of the night before, "we had a few drinks…" he said with a shrug, "and…not much else happened that I know of, since we left early to avoid Launch." He finished with a final shrug as Piccolo contorted his brows in confusion.

"You left a bar late at night to avoid lunch?" Piccolo asked skeptically. Tien smiled at the comparison of the girl's name to the meal. It was an unusual name. Piccolo was perhaps the only one of his friends who _would_ run away from lunch, anyways.

"Her name was _Launch_." Tien said with a stressed enunciation.

"I see." Piccolo nodded acceptingly. "So if you see her again, think you'll run away next time?" Piccolo asked curiously. Tien's mind immediately conjured an image of the beautiful girl from that night, standing in front of him with her long, wavy blonde hair, amazing figure, and wide smile. Based on her appearance, he never would have run away in the first place. But based on her personality…that was a different story. Tien's smile that had formed while thinking of Launch quickly fell into a frown.

"Maybe." Tien relented quietly, though not quietly enough for Piccolo to miss it. Piccolo chuckled mockingly as Tien's frown deepened, and he refused to meet his roommate's gaze. Maybe none of the other guys had a girl hitting on them last night, but if they realized just how terrifying that experience could be, they'd realize he wasn't really all that lucky.

* * *

She ran the brush repeatedly through her hair as the hot stream of air washed over it, drying and smoothing the shiny blue locks into an attractive style. It was time-consuming, but she always took the time where her appearance was concerned. As she reached for a new section of hair, the dryer made an electric crackling sound, the air being forced out in spurts, as she immediately turned it off and unplugged it.

"What was that?" Her roommate asked in alarm, leaning over her shoulder and curiously inspecting the hairdryer. Nothing, she thought as she set the blow dryer down on her dresser, waiting for it to cool.

"Short circuit. I'll take a look at it later." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand as she reached for her makeup, deciding to shift gears while she debated how to finish her half-dried hair.

"Oh!" Her roommate said, sounding utterly surprised and impressed. She turned to see that expression, the one she loved to see when people were impressed with her. There it was. She nodded proudly to herself. Yep. She was more than just a pretty face. "You want to borrow _my_ blow dryer?" The roommate offered with a friendly smile. She returned the smile immediately. There was the solution for the hair!

"Yes!" She exclaimed loudly, standing and immediately hugging her roommate tightly in appreciation. After a moment, her friend gently pushed her away and she realized, with embarrassment, that she might have overreacted a little. "Thanks, Chi-Chi." She muttered as she crossed her arms and looked away in discomfort. Chi-Chi headed for her own dresser, retrieving the tool and handing it off to her.

"No problem, Bulma." Chi-Chi said with a smug smile as Bulma accepted the tool with a thankful nod. "I couldn't let my roommate walk around like that." Chi-Chi said with an amused chuckle as Bulma spun around to face the mirror, seeing her wacky hairstyle caused by the interrupted blowout.

"Yeah, thanks." Bulma grumbled as she plopped into her seat again to resume her work. She quickly finished her blowout and makeup, then approached Chi-Chi's side of the room after she finished, to return the borrowed item. She set it down on the dresser as Chi-Chi seemed not to notice her. Chi-Chi was lying on her bed on her stomach, wearing headphones and deeply focused on the books and notebook strewn across her bed. "What are you doing?" Bulma asked curiously as she tilted her head, looking over Chi-Chi's shoulder in an attempt to see what Chi-Chi was working on.

"My homework." Chi-Chi grumbled without looking from her book for even a moment. Chi-Chi must have been one of those last-minute types. Bulma was long done with all her homework already, and she was pretty sure they were taking all the same subjects.

"You always do your homework on Sundays?" Bulma asked teasingly as she crossed her arms. Chi-Chi groaned and removed her headphones before looking at Bulma.

"Only when I had no other time to do it this weekend." Chi-Chi said with an accusatory glare. Oh. Now she was blaming Bulma for the fact that she couldn't get her homework done quickly enough? If it weren't for Bulma's great idea, Chi-Chi would have been bored to death Saturday night, instead of out with the girls at an awesome bar.

"I finished all of _mine_." Bulma responded venomously, irritated with Chi-Chi's accusatory stare. Chi-Chi looked shocked, and then slapped her hand loudly over her book with a pouty expression on her face that just made Bulma want to giggle.

"How?!" Chi-Chi asked. As if it was rocket science. Please, high school homework was a breeze compared to the stuff she knew how to do.

"I'm just a really fast worker." Bulma said with a shrug. She just wanted to get off that topic, so she could open up what she really wanted to talk about when she approached Chi-Chi. "So, Chi-Chi." Bulma began with a sly smile as Chi-Chi frowned dubiously at the approach with which she apparently was becoming familiar. Bulma smiled mischievously at Chi-Chi's look. "See anything you liked last night?" Bulma asked as she perked a brow inquisitively.

"No." Chi-Chi denied immediately, stretching an arm across her book and slamming it closed as Bulma plopped herself into a seating position on Chi-Chi's bed. That certainly wasn't the answer she expected to hear. There were so many cute guys at that bar! Alright, maybe some of them were a little older, obviously not from the school across the lake, but Chi-Chi needed to kiss a guy, already! She couldn't be picky. Bulma braced herself with one hand against the mattress for balance.

"What are you talking about?" Bulma asked dubiously with the other palm raised in a questioning gesture as she twisted to face Chi-Chi, who had risen from the bed and was replacing her notebooks in place on her neatly kept shelf. Chi-Chi sighed deeply with her hands stilled on her textbook she had just shelved, her head hanging low as she did not turn to face Bulma. She said something quietly that Bulma couldn't make out, and Bulma was pretty sure that Chi-Chi was suddenly uncomfortable for some reason.

"What, Chi-Chi?" Bulma asked sweetly, hoping Chi-Chi would repeat herself louder, and her amiable attitude would encourage Chi-Chi to be comfortable to speak.

"I said…" Chi-Chi began, shaking her head before she suddenly spun to face Bulma with a scowl, her attitude immediately altered to a more domineering persona. "I don't know if I can do it!" Chi-Chi yelled with frustration at Bulma, balling her fists tightly by her sides. Bulma sighed with chagrin, her body relaxing as she eased off the bed to stand in front of Chi-Chi and place a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"None of us has ever done this before. But that's why we're in this together." Bulma said cheerfully as Chi-Chi's downward gaze finally shifted upwards and Bulma winked at her friend encouragingly. "You don't want to graduate and move out into the real world feeling like the only girl who's still a virgin, right?" Bulma asked openly with a considerate tilt of her head.

At least, that was what Chi-Chi and the others had all agreed upon after that game of truth and dare. Unless she was changing her mind now, which was perfectly fine with Bulma, but not the path _she_ planned to follow. Chi-Chi looked dubious as she gnawed her bottom lip thoughtfully and her eyes skimmed away, towards the wall beside her. Bulma tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully. Chi-Chi was obviously dubious about the plan. It might have seemed a little extreme, but Bulma knew it would be the fastest way to get what they were looking for. And it wasn't like they were putting themselves out there for just _any_ men.

"I just…can't sleep with some random guy I just met!" Chi-Chi fretted with a loud shout as Bulma chuckled at her roommate's outpouring, yet she felt a need to help her with her dilemma. Bulma's eyes suddenly widened as an idea occurred to her and she smiled at Chi-Chi.

"You and 18 have been watching the guys over there for a while now, right?" Bulma asked knowingly as Chi-Chi nodded, still frowning with irritation at her recent admission. "Well?" Bulma asked curiously as she crossed her arms and raised her brows expectantly at Chi-Chi.

"Well, what?" Chi-Chi asked with a note of aggravation as she mirrored Bulma's posture, crossing her arms as well.

"Is there maybe a certain guy you've had your eye on? Or guys, even? We could try to find a way to get you one of _them_. Then it would be like being with someone you already know." Bulma said with a toothy smile as Chi-Chi blinked in surprise at the idea. Chi-Chi's gaze quickly shifted towards the window as she looked towards the military school in the distance with a wistful expression. Bulma smirked triumphantly. Chi-Chi definitely had someone in mind.

"Well, there is this one guy…" Chi-Chi admitted distantly before her wistful expression suddenly melted into a disappointed frown as she turned to face Bulma. "But Bulma, how could we possibly do that? We can't go over there, and I don't even know his name." Chi-Chi complained.

Complain, complain. Was that all everyone else ever did? Complain, fail to follow her directions, and not bother to thank her for all her amazing planning? Bulma placed her hands on her hips haughtily as she glared at Chi-Chi.

"I don't know how yet!" Bulma yelled stubbornly before her features softened at Chi-Chi's defeated expression. Bulma smiled hesitantly as she reached for Chi-Chi's shoulder again. "But we'll find a way. Don't worry. Next time we go out, we'll get to work on finding your guy." Bulma promised with a confident smile.


	7. Count Me In

She tapped her pencil irritably against the desk as she unintentionally sneered at the pair of girls a few rows in front of her, whispering conspiratorially. Chi-Chi and 18 had been doing that all week! Not to mention, Bulma had to be in on it, and Launch, because let's face it. It was really hard to hide things from a roommate.

She learned that the hard way last year when her nobody of a roommate realized that she was stealing all her plot notes for the reading test she was going to fail. That cow was so pissed. She really shouldn't have been surprised. Maron was failing that class and needed the help. She really should have offered to share, so Maron would have had no need to steal in the first place. At least the roommate was over it now.

Maron returned her attention to the continuing whispers in front of her, thoroughly pissed that she had no idea what they were hiding. Maron did _not_ like being left out. Maron's binder was nearly brushed off her desk as the teacher strutted down the aisle with her swaying hips as Maron switched her glare from her so-called friends to the teacher's ass that had so nearly bumped her face. No old lady school teacher should have had that kind of swagger to her hips.

"Ladies, do we have something to share with the class?" Ms. Ranfan asked the whispering pair accusingly as Maron eased back in her seat with her arms crossed and a smile growing from her previous frown. Well, wasn't that lucky? Ms. Ranfan was suddenly Maron's favorite teacher. Instead of giving an answer as Maron had hoped, though, Chi-Chi merely scowled at the teacher disobediently while 18 muttered resentfully under her breath. That didn't stop the entire class from hearing her snide remark.

"Not anything nearly as interesting as _your_ stories, Ranfan." 18 said facetiously as Maron pursed her lips in annoyance at the back of their heads.

"Is that so?" Ranfan asked 18 bitingly as she placed her hands on her hips and lowered her face to meet 18's eye level challengingly. "I believe I heard the word 'sex'." Ranfan said as she smirked triumphantly at 18, who appeared not to react, though Chi-Chi visibly cringed at the word, the reaction noticeable even from Maron's position a few rows behind her.

Of course Ranfan would have noticed that. Those two should have known better than to discuss anything having to do with sex in Ranfan's classroom. But since when did Chi-Chi and 18 talk about sex? Wait! They weren't talking about her, were they? Maron clutched the edges of her desk as she suddenly wanted to bolt out of her seat and shut those two up.

"I believe that makes for an interesting story that we can all take a break from English to hear." Ms. Ranfan decided with an arrogant smirk as she sat herself atop an empty desk and crossed her legs, setting an expectant gaze on 18 and Chi-Chi. Maron relaxed in her seat as she witnessed the result of Ranfan's posturing. 18 and Chi-Chi clearly didn't want to talk. If it was about Maron, 18 would have told right away. She would have _loved_ to bad-mouth Maron in front of the entire class. Now, Maron was only more eager to hear about what they had to say as Ranfan waited patiently and Chi-Chi and 18 exchanged a worried glance. This was going to be good.

"Ms. Ranfan." Another student interrupted politely with a raised hand as Maron scowled at the interruption, as did Ms. Ranfan. The bitch ignored the reaction as she continued with her question though, and Chi-Chi smiled in relief at her roommate. "I wasn't supposed to talk about it, but my sister is expecting and just discovered the sex of the baby. I told 18 and Chi-Chi in confidence, because I'm just so excited to be an aunt and...my sister doesn't want it getting out in the tabloids...you know...my family is famous and all." Bulma said with a hopeful smile to Ranfan as the teacher crossed her arms and tilted her head in careful consideration of Bulma's words. Was that all? Did it really have to be about something so boring?

"So, what is the sex of the baby?" Ranfan asked as she raised a suspicious brow towards 18 and Chi-Chi for an answer.

"A boy."/"It's a girl." 18 and Chi-Chi answered quickly and simultaneously before Chi-Chi slapped her hand over her face and 18 growled irritably.

"So which is it, girls? Or do you want to tell me what you were _really_ talking about?" Ranfan asked, her voice unamused as she narrowed her eyes angrily at the pair, before darting them towards Bulma with the same look. Why was she angry at Bulma? Did Ranfan have something against aunts or something?

It seemed Maron missed her chance to hear an answer, as the bell rang and 18 and Chi-Chi both shot out of their seats in relief. Ms. Ranfan stood with her hands on her hips, glaring after the pair of girls as they deserted her classroom. Thanks to Ms. Ranfan, Maron knew that Chi-Chi and 18's secret had something to do with sex. And she was not ready to let this go. She left her seat as quickly as 18 and Chi-Chi did, following the other girls with the determination to get to the bottom of this secret and be let in on the whole thing already.

"Chi-Chi!" Maron called loudly just outside the classroom door before they could get away. She knew there was no point in calling 18's name, but was surprised that even Chi-Chi didn't turn around to respond. And those bitches moved so fast! Dammit.

Maron huffed and pouted as she watched them turn a corner, knowing she'd never be able to catch up with them. The only way she'd find out the truth now would be to go after them anyways and skip her next class. Eh. She'd put up with a session with Ms. Baba willingly as long as she didn't have to carry on being the only one of her friends left out of the loop. But would they really answer her? 18 wouldn't. She didn't like talking to Maron, and never answered Maron's questions. And Chi-Chi just ran away just now. But, hey!

Maron's eyes widened as she spotted Bulma absently passing in the hall, reading through some notes in her notebook which was braced against her ribcage, like some dorky good student. She was the perfect person to ask. Maron smiled widely as she stepped aside Bulma, matching her pace in the hall as Bulma glanced towards her upon noticing the continuous presence beside her.

"What's up, Maron?" Bulma asked indifferently as she continued pouring over her notes. Maron pouted and hummed a low note of disappointment. She deserved a little more attention from Bulma. But she rolled her eyes and decided to continue anyways. Bulma was smart, and sometimes bitchy, and if Maron wanted an answer, she'd have to play nice.

"Chi-Chi and 18 need to stop keeping so many secrets. Am I right?" Maron said in a friendly tone, smiling as Bulma's attention was finally taken from her notes when Bulma closed her binder and tucked it beneath her arm.

"They don't keep many secrets, Maron. I mean, they're best friends. It's normal for them to have secrets." Bulma said dismissively.

"Yeah, but you're Chi-Chi's roommate." Maron said pointedly. "That means she, like, _has_ to tell you everything." Maron said with a toothy smile. Bulma immediately frowned before raising a brow in disbelief at Maron.

"Do _you_ tell your roommate everything, Maron?" She asked as Maron immediately laughed and shook her head, answering without thinking first.

"No, of course not!" She giggled with a dismissive wave of her free hand. "But she's a loser. That's different." Maron said with a friendly smile to Bulma, who surprisingly frowned reprovingly at Maron. What? She was being friendly. It wasn't like she called _Bulma_ a loser, not to her face at least.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, Maron." Bulma said politely as she stopped walking and glanced over her shoulder at the classroom behind her. Of course it was. But why was Bulma talking like that? They weren't done talking yet. Bulma just stared at Maron expectantly, while Maron frowned as she became confused. What was Bulma waiting for?

"Maron..." Bulma said with an uncomfortable fidget, which Maron did not find at all attractive. Bulma would need to work on her confidence, maybe. "Don't you have a class to get to?" Bulma asked as she raised a brow high with a dubious frown. Maron smiled and stubbornly shook her head. Oh, no. Bulma was not getting out of this conversation that easily. Wait, how much longer did they have until the bell would ring? How long had they been walking? Maron anxiously searched the walls for a clock. Shit! The bell was about to ring! She forgot about getting to her stupid class! "Well, I'm slipping in here before the bell rings." Bulma said with a point over her shoulder to the filling classroom behind her. "You'd better hurry, Maron."

"Shit!" Maron exclaimed aloud as Bulma's questioning gaze left her and Bulma turned to head into class. Maron turned in the direction of her next class, and not two footsteps later, the bell rang. Maron stomped her foot angrily as she stood alone in the hall. This meant she'd be in for a boring detention when she reached her next class. Might as well go straight to Ms. Baba and save her feet from some walking.

Maron sighed heavily as she turned in the direction of the headmistress' office and made her way down the narrow, parquet floored hall with boring, white walls. Why didn't schools use pretty colors when decorating? As Maron was busily considering the walls while she walked, picturing them bathed in lavender, then pink, then sunshine yellow as a smile came to her face at the thought of the happy color, she didn't realize someone was standing directly in front of her, who she bumped into harshly before she fell to the ground, bruising her poor rear.

"Watch it!" The other girl yelled angrily as Maron grimaced in pain and forced herself up from the ground. "You klutz!" She added with an audible sneer as Maron got to her feet and lifted her chin to face the blonde in front of her, whom she noted always looked strange in uniform. Launch was far from ladylike, and the plaid uniforms looked so prim and proper. They were a lot more fitting on Chi-Chi than any of her other friends.

"I didn't see you there." Maron stated with a nervous giggle, slightly amused by Launch's overreaction towards the collision. "What are you doing out here?" Maron asked, oblivious to the hostility behind Launch's glare.

"Detention." Launch muttered through her teeth as she resumed walking in the direction Maron had been walking. Maron smiled amicably at the back of Launch's head. Now she had someone to accompany her to Ms. Baba's office!

"So, what's been going on lately, Launch?" Maron asked conversationally as she caught up and walked beside Launch. A long pause ensued, and Maron realized Launch probably wasn't going to answer. She usually didn't when she was grumpy like this.

"I met a guy." Launch suddenly answered slyly, taking Maron by surprise. Wow. That was unexpected.

"How?" Maron asked curiously, blinking at Launch in bewilderment. Launch smirked proudly.

"We went out. You see, the girls and I made a pact. Before we graduate," Launch stopped herself to search the empty halls carefully for others and whispered to Maron, "we're all going to get laid." Launch chuckled haughtily at Maron as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Laid? You mean, like sex?" Maron asked with interest. Why the hell didn't they include her in that pact? They knew she liked sex. She was probably the only one who'd already done it. Maron frowned and crossed her arms as Launch nodded in confirmation. Now she was really unhappy about being left out.

As Launch began gushing about the guy she'd met and how great he was, Maron completely tuned her out as she fumed to herself about why she was being excluded. The trip to the headmistress' office turned out to not be such a bad thing. Now she knew what the other girls were up to, and the next time they went out, she'd be going with them, whether they invited her or not.

* * *

He crossed his arms and frowned deeply as his gaze followed the speedily moving figures about to reach the finish line on the other end of the field. He had been smirking confidently, just a minute ago. But suddenly, this whole military school thing was taking another turn for the worse.

"Are those guys on steroids or something?" He questioned disbelievingly to himself, not realizing he said it aloud until his roommate beside him chuckled and responded.

"Don't let it intimidate you, Krillin." He answered with a consoling squeeze of the shoulder. "Those two have been training like this since before they hit puberty. They're real die-hard about being the best. None of us can keep up with them." He said dismissively as he casually shifted his weight and crossed his arms, smiling at Krillin almost boastfully. What did he have to be boastful about? Now Vegeta and Goku, those two had just earned bragging rights. But Krillin was feeling the need to be agreeable.

"Okay." He agreed absently as he wondered who had won, seeing that it was such a close finish and they were standing so far down the field. It became apparent only a second later as Krillin saw Goku extend a hand to Vegeta with a big smile. Vegeta glared in response and appeared to berate his racing partner before turning his back to him and storming off angrily without even acknowledging the offered handshake.

"Besides," his roommate added haughtily as Krillin suddenly recalled that Yamcha was still standing beside him, "I only do this stuff to stay in shape. For the ladies." Yamcha said confidently as Krillin smiled to himself at the remark. Yamcha was the only one at the bar the other night that _didn't_ have a lady paying him any attention. Krillin also knew that wasn't the only reason.

"And because you have to." Krillin said with a taunting smirk, chuckling when Yamcha frowned at him peevishly. As if on cue, the Colonel called, and Krillin wished he hadn't just put his foot in his mouth.

"Shinhan! Yamabushi!" Colonel Burter called loudly from down the field. Krillin grimaced as his name was called and Yamcha rudely shoved him forward, making him stumble towards the starting line. Krillin walked the rest of the way to stand beside Tien, who was already standing in his place as Krillin met his eyes before sighing deeply and preparing himself to run. It was so embarrassing, having to follow up after those guys. It was a good thing no girls were around to watch them in the field. He'd want that blonde from the bar thinking better of him than...whatever she might have thought of him if she could see him now.

He smiled slightly to himself as he recalled the image of her beautiful face and that loud whistle blew…shit! Krillin snapped back into reality as Tien was already paces ahead of him, and like an idiot, he had been daydreaming about some girl who had probably forgotten him already. Krillin ran as fast as he could, focusing and breathing steadily as he attempted to catch up with Tien. That guy had freakin' long legs, though! How was he supposed to have a chance here? Krillin sadly finished after Tien, grasping his knees and breathing hard as he struggled not to feel like he was about to lose his lunch after all that unwarranted exertion.

"That was a good run, Krillin! You're pretty fast!" Goku's voice exclaimed as Krillin busied himself with staring at the green blades of grass by his feet. He had no breath to respond, and usually would hate to be patronized after such an obvious defeat. Yet, Goku's tone was so genuine that Krillin was surprised to actually find some comfort in his expressed approval.

He looked up and smiled hesitantly at Goku, who was sitting before him cross-legged and relaxed on the ground as a derisive scoff sounded from a few feet away, obviously in vehement disagreement with Goku's praise. So much for that comfort and confidence he had a second ago. Krillin turned his gaze to Vegeta, glaring his irritation at the arrogant jerk that couldn't even stand aside and allow someone else to give him a compliment. Vegeta's eyes shifted to meet Krillin's gaze, and if possible, the guy's frown deepened even more.

"Pathetic." Vegeta said scathingly as Krillin scowled back and stood upright with his fists clenched tightly by his side.

"So!" Tien suddenly exclaimed loudly and intrusively, intentionally breaking the tension that was happening between Krillin and Vegeta. Krillin was secretly very thankful for the interruption. After witnessing the way Vegeta could run, not to mention his temper, he really didn't want to be on that guy's bad side if he didn't have to be. Tien looked at Goku with a hopeful smile, who met Tien's gaze with wide-eyed expectation. "Are you coming out with us this weekend?"

"Out where?" Goku asked with a slight tilt of his head. To the bar again, of course, Krillin thought to himself as he fondly admired the way Goku's curious expression reminded him of a puppy at the moment. Krillin had been looking forward to going out again all week.

"We're gonna try using those," Krillin looked hesitantly towards Colonel Burter and leaned down closer to Goku to speak quietly, "fake IDs again."

"Don't tell me you're going to the same place again." Vegeta groaned from the sidelines. Krillin rolled his eyes. Vegeta might have played it off like he was never interested in anything they did; but _obviously_ , he was paying attention right now.

"What's it matter to you?" Tien questioned brusquely as he narrowed his eyes at Vegeta. "You're not interested in coming now, are you?" Vegeta balked at the taunting question and opened his mouth to speak when Goku beat him to it.

"Why not?" Goku said with a shrug before looking at Vegeta. "We can go out with them. It might be fun." Goku said in a completely noncommittal tone as he finally decided to stand from the ground. Krillin frowned as he watched Goku rise above him, his shadow completely engulfing Krillin. For a few minutes there, he had enjoyed feeling like he was taller than someone. Vegeta's lip slightly rose in a sneer, yet Krillin was surprised to see it lower before the expression was completely formed. It seemed Vegeta was actually going to agree.

"Fine. Why not?" Vegeta relented quietly without meeting anyone's gaze before he turned his back to the group again. Krillin stared in disbelief at Vegeta's back. Did Vegeta really just agree to go out with them?

"I have a better place in mind, though." Goku suddenly said in a mischievous tone as Krillin broke his stare from Vegeta's back to look curiously towards his friend. "I'll call my brother. He'll take care of us." Goku said with a mischievous smile to Vegeta, who turned around at the mention of Goku's brother. Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise before he smirked back at Goku understandingly. Krillin didn't know what this meant, but he imagined Goku's brother was going to be very helpful to them this weekend.


	8. Across The Club

That had to be the longest fucking fifteen-minute car ride he'd ever suffered through in his life. He glanced over his shoulder, his neck rigid with tension as the morons following him through the doors of the club bellowed and laughed loudly and obnoxiously again. Hadn't they done enough of that in the car?

"Hey." A familiar voice called from a few feet ahead of him. The cool and mellow tone of the address somewhat eased his tension in contrast to all the irritating raucous he'd been tolerating.

"Raditz!" Kakarot called in recognition of the voice, pushing his way through the small crowd of strangers and rushing to meet his brother with a crushing embrace.

"You sure brought a hell of a crowd with you tonight." Raditz complained as he pushed his brother away and crossed his arms, looking over the group with distaste. Raditz. A normal person, finally. Not that he was excited to see his roommate's older brother, but after the shit he'd been dealing with earlier in the evening, Raditz was looking like a ray of sunshine.

"Yeah, well. Hope you don't mind." Kakarot responded with a cheeky smile while Raditz frowned reprovingly at him. Of course Raditz would mind. He'd have to be crazy to happily welcome this illegal and obvious crowd of juveniles into his workplace.

"Same old bullshit, Goku. I should've known." Raditz carped as he narrowed his eyes angrily at his brother, whose smug smile only stretched a little wider. Raditz sighed deeply and perceptively searched the large room, which was heavily populated with patrons, considering the early hour they were arriving.

Vegeta crossed his arms and raised a brow, curious about what Raditz was thinking as he, too, took a closer look around the bar. Plenty of people seemed busy enough not to notice their boisterous entrance, which was partially masked by the bass of the club music playing, though the ones who had caught sight of the group were eyeing them disparagingly. Vegeta frowned deeply at the stares. He did _not_ want to be associated with this group.

He took a cautious, distancing step back, finding himself beside the reclusive Piccolo as the others continued bickering and joking with one another and Kakarot and Raditz had their own private conversation. Hopefully Raditz would find them somewhere to go soon where others would not be looking at them. And get them a fucking drink already.

"Are you drinking tonight?" The deep voice beside him grumbled, though the taller guy's gaze remained fixed on the idiotic spectacle in front of them as he spoke. It was a stupid question, but Vegeta grunted in agreement. He would've asked the only other guy from their group who wasn't acting like a moron if he was drinking, too. But he really didn't care.

"This way." Raditz finally said to the group as he turned away from Kakarot, who was wearing a ridiculous-looking smile of satisfaction as he turned and led the way. Vegeta sighed heavily as he reluctantly followed the disappearing group ahead of him. He needed Kakarot's stupid brother to get his underage ass a drink.

Vegeta skirted through the crowds a good distance behind the others, smirking arrogantly as he noticed a few young women eyeing him along the way, and their pissed-off boyfriends glaring at him with jealousy. Losers. He scanned the room, noticing the classy black-uniformed servers and sophisticated, modern décor of the club. Raditz worked at a _nice_ club. Why the hell hadn't Kakarot taken them there before? Because that idiot wouldn't know a good idea if it hit him in the face, Vegeta realized with a slight nod of affirmation to himself.

Raditz led the group to a subdivided room behind a large glass window, where Vegeta could see a large table inside, surrounded by chairs. It was a VIP area. Raditz hovered in the doorway as the group filed in, speaking into the room after them. Vegeta reached Raditz just as he was finishing whatever he was saying, probably threats to the others not to destroy his place, judging by the worried expressions on everyone's faces but Kakarot's.

"I already ordered your first round of shots. On me." Raditz said with a haughty attitude as the others expressed their gratitude. Vegeta pushed past Raditz as he stormed into the room, intent on getting his drink. "You're welcome!" Raditz called facetiously to Vegeta's rudeness before turning and leaving. Who gave a shit? He'd thank Raditz after he was drunk.

"Vegeta! We thought you were lost!" The little baldy called with a friendly smile as Vegeta passed him and eyed the tray full of filled shot glasses in the middle of the large table. Vegeta sat at the table, joining the others as he downed one shot, then a second in two hasty gulps before hissing at the burning sensation scorching his throat. That was more like it. "Was Piccolo behind you?"

"Maybe." Vegeta admitted indifferently with a small smile of satisfaction as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the fast effects of alcohol hitting him. He didn't recall becoming Piccolo's keeper. He opened his eyes just in time to sight a passing waitress. "Bring us more of these!" Vegeta demanded loudly to her. She paused and raised a brow at him in surprise of the order before smirking and nodding in acceptance.

"Well, where is Piccolo now?" Scarface asked. Like Vegeta knew, or cared, or would even bother answering him if he knew.

"Right here." Piccolo said, as the sneaky bastard was already standing outside the doorway and leaning against the door frame.

"You gonna join us, Piccolo?" Kakarot asked invitingly as Vegeta impatiently searched through the glass for a sign of the waitress's return.

"Sure. But I'm not drinking." Piccolo said dully as he stepped into the room with his arms crossed.

"Aw, come on, Piccolo!" The big, bald loudmouth encouraged. "Have a drink with us!"

"I don't drink." Piccolo replied stubbornly as the waitress suddenly appeared and Vegeta bit his lip in excited anticipation at the sight of another tray-full of shots. How the hell was Raditz getting away with this? _He_ might have been able to pass for a guy over twenty-one, but the rest of these fools were obviously children.

"I bet none of you guys can outdrink me!" Yamcha announced as soon as the waitress placed the tray on the table.

"I'll take that bet!" Yamcha's little roommate claimed immediately while Kakarot smirked challengingly at Vegeta. Oh. Kakarot thought he could beat him. Vegeta still owed him for that race on the field. There was no way he'd let Kakarot win this, too.

"I'm in!" Tien yelled as he reached across the table for a drink. Vegeta reached for one himself in his own wordless agreement. He would win this competition, and then enjoy seeing someone get sick and suffer for it later. He took a mental note at that moment to get a ride home from Raditz at the end of the night.

"How will we know who wins?" Krillin questioned dubiously as he scratched his bald head.

"Piccolo will tell us who wins!" Kakarot said with a wide smile to Piccolo, who frowned and then scowled at the imposition. "What? You said you're not drinking." Kakarot questioned, surprised by Piccolo's reluctance. Vegeta didn't understand it, either.

"Why did you even come here?" Vegeta asked Piccolo cynically as he eyed the golden liquid in his shot glass, briefly wondering what it was. Not that it mattered, as long as it was alcohol.

"I'm starting to wonder that myself." Piccolo groaned moodily. Ugh. The dumb louse shouldn't have come to a bar if he wasn't going to drink.

"Alright, guys! Let's get started!" Kakarot announced excitedly, ignoring Piccolo's glum mood as he reached forward and grabbed a shot. He was immediately followed by the others who hadn't grabbed their drinks yet. The first shot went down like nothing, and the guys immediately grabbed a second shot while Piccolo was already recalling the waitress to bring more.

Once that second tray was done, the stubby guy in the group was starting to fold. Big surprise. Krillin was the first one knocked off his ass. Vegeta found it pretty hilarious when the little guy zoomed out of the room in search of a toilet, resembling a ricocheting pinball as his bald, shiny head darted through the crowd of the club. It was strange, how funny that was. It must have been the alcohol getting to him.

"Krillin's out." Piccolo stated bluntly. Vegeta chuckled. Did they really need Piccolo hanging around just to state the obvious? The game continued from there without missing a beat. Vegeta didn't care whether the cue ball made it to the bathroom, but he was surprised no one else bothered to check on the guy. Maybe their game was just that engulfing, or maybe the others were struggling to hold their liquor as well. Vegeta hoped it was the latter. He was smelling victory already.

"Hey!" Yamcha exclaimed with a tight grimace at taking his most recent shot, which was obviously becoming difficult for him. "It's her!" Vegeta shifted his gaze to follow the extended finger in the direction of 'her', whoever the hell she was.

In that direction, Vegeta saw a group of girls. They looked like they had just arrived as some were just taking their seats at the table they surrounded and they were busy swinging their purses on the backs of their chairs. He still didn't know who 'her' was, but he cocked his head thoughtfully as he narrowed his eyes upon recognizing one of them.

"Who?" Kakarot asked cluelessly as Vegeta glanced at the other guys to note they were all looking in that direction.

"Oh no." Tien stated flatly with a tone of dread. "It _is_ her!" He cried in a panic.

"No, no." Yamcha groaned with a slur as he waved at Tien dismissively. Vegeta smirked in amusement at how sloppy the guy was becoming already. "Not Launch. The other girl, with the blue hair." Yamcha explained as Vegeta smiled to himself knowingly. "I swear I've seen her somewhere before. Who is she?"

Bulma Briefs. Idiot couldn't even recognize an heiress from the tabloids. Not that Vegeta read tabloids. He just fucking _paid attention_. She was only on the cover a few months before school started over some bullshit about hacking. He actually found it impressive; a spoiled teenaged girl from a rich family, knowing how to hack into the school computers and having the guts to defy the system. Not that he read tabloids.

"What girl with blue hair? Who's Launch?" Kakarot asked, still left behind in the dark, as usual. Yet, to Vegeta's disappointment, he sounded much more coherent than the other two.

"Have another shot, Kakarot." Vegeta demanded as he grabbed the last one from the tray and slid it to his roommate. He was not going to let Kakarot win, and he could feel his own tolerance slipping. Fortunately, the idiot drank it without thinking twice. Vegeta smirked triumphantly as he waved over the waitress and ordered more.

"Do you think she saw me? Should I get out of here?" Tien asked the group in a panic as Kakarot blinked at him stupidly and Yamcha gawked at the girls. It was a good thing the girls weren't looking in their direction. Scratch that. Vegeta turned back to the girls' table, only to see that the one with long black hair was not only looking, but pointing excitedly towards them, leading the others to look in their direction as well.

"I think she saw you." Vegeta deadpanned as the girls smiled at one another and the one with long, wavy blonde hair set her gaze right at them, waving her arm high in the air with a huge smile plastered across her face.

"I think…I've gotta go." Tien groaned anxiously as he sloppily and hurriedly stumbled past the chairs, towards the door. Good. One more down. Now he only had two competitors left in the game.

"Tien's out." Piccolo grumbled. Huh. He almost forgot that wallflower was still there. With perfect timing, the waitress arrived with the shots Vegeta had ordered and he smirked at the two remaining competitors as he grabbed another. The other two did the same, though Yamcha was obviously distracted by the girls. The fool wouldn't stop staring over there, even while he was drinking his shot.

Vegeta thumped his empty glass harshly on the table as he scrutinized the other two. Yamcha was definitely on his way out. Whether by drunkenness or his total lack of attention to the game, Vegeta didn't care. But he was going out soon. Kakarot looked perplexed as he was staring at his empty shot glass. Maybe he was finally getting woozy.

"Didn't I drink more of these than you did?" Kakarot finally asked with his brows knit together in deep concentration. Vegeta chuckled silently to himself.

"Tien! Tien!" A feminine, loud voice called anxiously from the doorway before Vegeta felt someone bump harshly into his chair.

"What the hell?!" Vegeta yelled as he steadied himself, not at all appreciating the way that girl just screwed up his carefully controlled balance in the face of total inebriation.

"Tien left." Piccolo stated as the woman turned her head quickly to face the other guy, tossing her blonde mass of curls in Vegeta's face.

"Dammit! Get out of here!" Vegeta growled before he swatted the hair aside and spit a few times to make sure no hair had made it into his mouth.

"Where'd he go?" The intruder asked forcefully with an expression like she was ready to kick someone's ass if she didn't get an answer soon.

"Uummm…" Kakarot answered, scratching his head with a bemused expression.

"You kind of scare him, Launch." Yamcha meekly informed the woman in a nervous and shaky voice. Was that loser actually scared of this girl?

"What?" Launch asked loudly, though she did sound surprised. What was there to be surprised about?

"He ran away from you. Why don't you go chase him?" Vegeta suggested with a glare to the annoying presence. He had everything controlled and in order a minute ago, and now he was struggling to contain the dizziness and incoherency that was threatening to take over, thanks to her stupid interruption. Fortunately, the girl was at least smart enough to take a hint. Vegeta sighed heavily after she darted out of the room hurriedly, seemingly off to search for the big, bald coward.

"That was weird." Kakarot commented as he watched the girl hurry away. Yamcha laughed. Vegeta didn't see what was so funny. He just wanted to wipe these two clowns out of the competition already and win. His eyes shifted to the doorway as he caught movement in his peripherals again, wondering who was approaching them now. It was Raditz, crossing his arms with a smug smile as he leaned against the doorway.

"Having fun?" Raditz asked teasingly as he eyed the group. Vegeta wondered just how drunk they looked. They must have looked pretty bad, judging by the way Raditz was eyeing them.

"Hey, Raditz!" Yamcha called. Raditz raised his brows expectantly at Yamcha across the room. "You think you can talk to one of the girls at that table for me? I really want to get her number." Yamcha said with a pitiful tone of desperation. What a coward. Asking Raditz to do the legwork for him.

"Then go talk to her." Raditz replied flatly, not budging from his position as his arms remained tightly crossed.

"He can't!" Kakarot answered with a loud laugh. Ah. Vegeta knew that laugh. It wasn't a sober laugh. Kakarot was finally going down.

"Goku!" Yamcha scolded as his cheeks brightened with embarrassment. Raditz shook his head dismissively.

"Alright. Whatever. I'll talk to the girls. Whose number do you want?" Raditz asked irritably as he gazed at the table where the three remaining girls were drinking and talking with shifty gazes around the room. They looked like they were on the prowl. Vegeta released a brief chuckle of amusement as Yamcha described the Briefs girl, still clueless about who she was. As Vegeta watched Raditz leave and trek across the bar to the girls' table, Vegeta hoped Bulma Briefs didn't give Yamcha her number. He'd love to see the loser's face when he got shot down.

* * *

"Do you think Launch is coming back?" Chi-Chi asked with concern as Bulma frowned with disinterest. If Launch wanted to run off carelessly, they could forget about her for now. She was a big girl and didn't need mothering. For the time being, they should be taking action. They were here with a purpose, anyways, after scouting around so many places through the evening. And Chi-Chi miraculously found her man. It was time to put the plan into action.

"Forget Launch, Chi-Chi." 18 groaned impatiently as she tapped her finger on the bicep of her crossed arms and frowned deeply while looking around the room. "At least we ditched the bimbo. We can hide out here all night for all I care. I don't want that little slut finding us." 18 stated venomously as Bulma frowned at 18's insipid demeanor.

"I still feel kind of bad about that. Maron just wanted to go out to the bar with us." Chi-Chi admitted guiltily. "She's not _that_ bad."

"She's not?" 18 asked skeptically with a raised brow. "Yesterday, she told me you were getting fat."

"She told _me_ your clothes were frumpy yesterday." Bulma honestly confessed as Chi-Chi's mouth fell open in shock and Bulma hoped they could move on from the whole guilt-over-ditching-Maron thing and focus on the task at hand already. But she decided to add one more confession for good measure as she turned to face her other friend. "And _you_ had bad hair, 18." 18 grit her teeth and stroked a hand through her perfect silky blond locks, where she seemed to never had a single hair out of place.

"That bitch!" Chi-Chi yelled irately. She pounded a fist on the table and visibly seethed, searching the room as if Maron would suddenly appear. Bulma was relieved that Maron _wasn't_ in sight. Chi-Chi looked ready to literally kill her.

"Ladies." A swanky voice surprisingly called from behind her. Bulma spun around to see a good-looking guy perhaps a few years older than them approaching, dressed in the club's all-black uniform with a nametag that said, 'RADITZ'. Chi-Chi immediately simmered down, looking quite surprised by their visitor. Bulma smirked as she reached into her purse. This was the perfect opportunity.

"I noticed you eyeing the young men in our VIP section. See something you like?" He asked with a knowing smirk as his eyes roamed over the three ladies before him.

"What are you? Their pimp?" 18 groaned cynically as Bulma immediately kicked her under the table. What a stupid thing to say! Now how was she supposed to propose this whole idea smoothly? Raditz smirked at 18, who pointedly ignored Bulma's physical reprimand and stared at Raditz with a vapid expression. _She_ certainly wasn't getting anywhere tonight with that attitude.

"Actually, one of them is my brother. But someone wanted a phone number from here." Raditz admitted with a sigh as he looked down at the table before setting his gaze on the girls again, intentionally keeping them waiting to find out whose phone number was requested. Raditz smirked as Chi-Chi was about to respond, but Bulma immediately cut her off. She didn't want a repeat of what happened with Launch the other night. Tonight, they were sticking to the damn plan.

"Here." Bulma said as she shot Raditz a sultry look and smoothly handed him the rectangular, simple white card she had been clutching in her purse. Raditz accepted the card with a suspicious expression, his gaze fixed on Bulma as she smiled cunningly at him. This was exciting, playing this role. And they hadn't even scratched the surface yet.

"What's this?" Raditz asked when he finally looked at the card, raising a brow in intrigue as he read. Bulma smirked triumphantly at the other girls, who seemed to be holding their breath with anxiety as they met her gaze.

"That's our card. If any of those guys are interested, they can give us a call." Bulma said with a sassy attitude. She slightly bit her lower lip to quell her excitement as Raditz looked at her again, smiling and shaking his head in disbelief. Raditz pinched the card between his middle and index finger, raising it in the air as he smiled understandingly at Bulma.

"I'll give it to them." Raditz said with a clear air of doubt. "But you girls are something else. I'm not sure those guys are up to your speed." He chuckled as he gave a curt nod goodbye and turned to walk back towards the guys in the VIP lounge, the lounge Launch had run off to after Tien for a second time. Bulma decided that girl was on her own if she was going to keep acting so impetuously. Chi-Chi had spotted the guy she'd been eyeing for the past years in that lounge with him, not a bad choice at all. The others weren't half-bad looking either. Actually, they were perfect. Now they'd just have to wait for that phone call.


	9. Call Girl

"So? Do you think I should call?" His dark-haired, apparently girl-crazy friend questioned _again_ as he leaned across the desk, blatantly ignoring the piles of papers and pamphlets they were supposed to be using to complete their group project. Not that he cared about the project. He was just worried that they wouldn't be allowed out of this boring class when the bell would ring soon.

"If I say yes, will you finish this project for us?" He asked his distracted friend hopefully while secretly crossing his fingers beneath the desk.

"No!" Yamcha answered with his face contorted contemptuously. "I'm serious, Goku. I really want to see this girl. I just," Yamcha hesitated, frowning as his eyes diverted to the side of the classroom, which Goku curiously followed to find nothing out of the ordinary, "just didn't expect those girls to be call girls." Yamcha finished quietly, looking really uncomfortable about the whole call girl thing. Yeah. He still wasn't getting that. What was so bad about call girls?

"Yeah. Just call her, Yamcha. I'm sure she'd like that." Goku answered with an encouraging smile and a nonchalant shrug as he oh-so-carefully pushed the pamphlets closer to Yamcha while his friend was distracted. What could be so hard about deciding to make a phone call? At least Yamcha's distracted thoughts gave Goku the opportunity he needed to put Yamcha to work. He smiled happily as his friend picked up the pamphlets butting against his forearm and absently began perusing them.

Goku turned his head to the side quickly when he noticed movement and saw Krillin returning to their desk. Good. If he couldn't get Yamcha to do the work, Krillin would make sure to finish the project on time. Goku smiled a toothy grin at Krillin, who retook his seat with a frown. What was with everyone today? Oh. Maybe Krillin still wasn't feeling well.

"How are you feeling, Krillin?" Goku asked considerately as Yamcha quietly chuckled and Krillin frowned even deeper before glaring at Yamcha.

"Fine. Much better now. Thanks, _Goku._ " Krillin answered as he continued glaring at Yamcha, who had stopped chuckling, but was ignoring Krillin. Krillin didn't sound very thankful. But he _did_ say thanks.

"You're welcome." Goku answered with a confused frown as he warily rubbed the back of his head. Krillin spent Sunday in bed after their night out at the bar. None of them were really feeling well after that drinking competition, well aside from Piccolo, but Krillin still looked kind of miserable. But he said he was fine, and it was Monday now. He should have been over it. Even though Krillin still looked like he might get sick again.

"Krillin, Goku says I should call her. What do you think?" Yamcha suddenly asked as Goku tossed his head back exasperatedly. More about calling the call girl? How many times was Yamcha going to ask? Obviously, a call girl would want to be called. It was what she did, apparently. Krillin frowned at Yamcha, looking very unamused by the question, and Goku impatiently felt the need to interrupt.

"Yamcha, if you're not comfortable with it, I'll call her for you." Goku offered casually, hoping Yamcha would just agree and move on. Instead, Yamcha's eyes widened in surprise. Goku looked at Krillin to see that Krillin was staring at him in shock as well. What did he say?

"You would do that, Goku?" Krillin asked disbelievingly. It wasn't like he offered to go out with the girl. It was just a phone call.

"Yeah." Goku answered with a frown as he stared back at Krillin with wide eyed honesty.

"No, no. You're right, Goku." Yamcha said with newfound decisiveness behind his voice. "I need to man up. If I want to talk to her, I'll just have to give her a call. I can't let the call girl thing intimidate me."

"Yeah! That's the spirit, Yamcha!" Goku encouraged as he more roughly shoved the pamphlets closer to his other group members. Now that Yamcha was decided, he should finally be able to finish this project.

"Right. I'll call her after classes today." Yamcha said with a determined smirk. Krillin nodded in agreement, though he looked surprised. But hey, Yamcha and Krillin were picking up the papers and pamphlets, working on the project again. Yamcha finally pushed aside that distraction. All over a phone call. Sometimes Goku really couldn't understand the other guys at this school, and why they got so worked up and weird about girls. Teenage girls couldn't really be _that_ scary and difficult to talk to.

* * *

She felt her anxiety building as she continued listening to Bulma's conversation on the phone. When the call came in a few minutes ago, she instantly ran across the hall to alert Launch and 18, though Launch refused to come, instantly denying that it could be Tien. She had no interest in anyone else. _Somebody_ certainly was stubborn. Not that she couldn't understand what Launch was feeling. She wouldn't want to know anything about this guy, either…unless it was _him_.

"…at the Tenkaichi Hotel, say…in twenty minutes?" Bulma suggested in a smooth and silky voice as Chi-Chi returned her attention to the conversation. Who was this guy? Could it be her guy? If it was, what was he doing calling Bulma? Wait. He had no idea who she was. She couldn't possibly be jealous. He didn't even know who he was talking to. Chi-Chi sighed heavily as she shook her hands to rid herself of some of the anxiety, and glanced towards 18, startling when she noted how her friend was already staring at her with a scowl.

"Will you chill out, Chi-Chi?" 18 asked with a tone somewhere between annoyance and amusement. Chi-Chi frowned deeply at her friend and crossed her arms defensively. She had every right to be on edge. How could 18 be so cool about this? 18 smirked as she watched Chi-Chi's reaction. "It's Bulma's call." 18 said before shrugging indifferently as she watched Bulma hanging up the phone. "It's not like _you_ have to go meet the guy." 18's words somewhat dissuaged Chi-Chi's anxiety, if only for a moment.

"Actually, I think you should." Bulma interjected as she pocketed the phone into her purse and gave Chi-Chi an insistent look. Why?!

"M-me?" Chi-Chi squeaked as all that anxiety began building up again. "But he called for you, Bulma."

"Yes, he did." Bulma replied arrogantly as she stood and wiggled her hips and pulled her tight red skirt down to an appropriate length. It had hiked up unbelievable high from sitting carelessly on the bed during her conversation. " _But_ ," she added pointedly, "we still don't know your guy's name, and he was in that VIP lounge. If this Yamcha is the one you've got your eye on, you should be there with me in case you need to intercept." Bulma decided as she turned to the mirror and closely inspected her face, already fixing her makeup. Yeah, fixing her makeup and dressing sexy and preparing mentally, that was all Bulma had been doing since the first phone call after school. Now, after this second one, she was well prepared. But Chi-Chi? She thought she was staying at the dorm until just this moment!

"Why didn't you tell me that idea sooner?!" Chi-Chi shrieked at Bulma in outrage. 18 chuckled as she crossed her arms and shook her head at Chi-Chi.

"Twenty minutes is not enough time." 18 commented dryly as she eyed Chi-Chi's yoga pants and concert t-shirt she was wearing since classes ended, clothing she usually liked to relax in when she wasn't going anywhere. Chi-Chi scowled defiantly at 18's derogatory comment and the way she eyed Chi-Chi's clothing. She could make herself just as beautiful as anyone else, even with only twenty minutes to do so!

"Actually, it's more like ten minutes now, unless you want to be late." Bulma warned as she eyed the clock on the wall. Chi-Chi balled her fists tightly as she stalked over to her closet, knowing exactly what she would wear. She had no time to be indecisive, thanks to Bulma.

"Dammit! Bulma, if Yamcha _is_ my guy, I am going to kill you if you ruined this for me!" Chi-Chi fumed loudly as she threw the dress on the bed and immediately began stripping out of her other outfit.

"Door's open." 18 commented with amusement as she glanced towards the door with a smirk. Chi-Chi frowned to herself. She was in such a hurry, she forgot about the door. "What the hell?" 18 complained, her voice raising with surprise as she narrowed her eyes at the doorway. Chi-Chi followed 18's line of sight as she was pulling her dress up and Bulma was heading behind her to assist with the zipper. Chi-Chi hoped desperately that there wasn't some pervert stalking behind the door and watching her dress.

"Maron?" Chi-Chi questioned as she sighted the person hovering in their doorway, who had clearly been listening to their conversation. Maron opened the door widely with a guilty smile on her face as Chi-Chi reached beneath her bed for the heels she would wear.

"Yamcha at the Tenkaichi Hotel, huh?" Maron questioned teasingly before she bit her lip with an impish smile.

"Yeah. It's nothing, Maron." Bulma replied dismissively. Chi-Chi thought she was almost ready to leave, until 18 raised her brows indicatively while eyeing Chi-Chi's face. Chi-Chi turned to the mirror and scoffed loudly at her reflection. She still didn't have any makeup on and her hair was thrown up in a haphazard bun.

"Nothing, my ass." Maron scoffed incredulously. "We'll see who gets the guy tonight." Maron giggled as she slammed the dorm room door closed and the muffled sound of keys jingling could be heard through the barrier of the doorway. Chi-Chi's jaw dropped as she looked at 18, then Bulma, only to see them with the same expressions. Was she really…did she plan to…?

"Oh, no she doesn't!" Bulma exclaimed loudly as she stormed out of the room after Maron.

"Hey!" Chi-Chi yelled furiously after both the blue-haired girls who were leaving without her to meet Yamcha. Without her. What if Yamcha was _him?_! "Get back here!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she followed after Bulma only moments later, forgetting about her hair and makeup. She was lucky she was naturally beautiful. No makeup and a sloppy bun would have to do. Maybe if she was lucky, this would be one of the other guys, anyways. But she was not letting those two get to that hotel without her!

Chi-Chi ran through the hall, out through the doors, past the front gates and through the parking lot of the school, catching up to Bulma, who was already heading to her car, as Maron had been doing. It was a good thing those two were slow in heels.

Chi-Chi slowed as she approached Bulma's passenger door and glared reprehensibly at her friend, who was fumbling with her keys in a race against Maron. Maron, on the other end of the parking lot, was sliding into her car, not wasting a moment to start the engine. Chi-Chi and Bulma sat in their seats wordlessly as Bulma started the car. Chi-Chi crossed her arms tightly and glared at the sight of Maron's car speedily reversing from her parking space and banging into another parked car.

"That bitch!" Chi-Chi yelled with frustration as she grit her teeth and glared at the disappearing car ahead of them. "Get moving already, Bulma!" Chi-Chi yelled at her counterpart, who was finally reversing from their spot while Maron was already at least a mile ahead of them.

"Stop giving me orders, Chi-Chi!" Bulma yelled in response with a determined glare fixed on the road ahead as she shifted the car into drive. "I'll catch her. Hold onto your seat!" Bulma exclaimed with a smirk as the car started abruptly and quickly reached speeds much higher than should have been used while still in a parking lot. Chi-Chi clutched her chair tightly as she grimaced at Bulma. That grimace quickly faded as she spied Maron's car ahead of them and Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes at the car while they raced in the direction of the Tenkaichi Hotel.

"I cannot believe Maron is trying to steal your guy." Chi-Chi grumbled as they came to a stop in traffic with Maron's car only a few cars ahead of them.

"Or maybe your guy." Bulma added matter-of-factly.

"Right." Chi-Chi agreed in a disgruntled tone. She didn't want to think about that. Maron might beat them there, and if anyone was going to pass for a call girl, Maron would, without even trying. Traffic started moving again and Chi-Chi instantly clutched her seat tightly, knowing Bulma would continue driving with determination. Until, to Chi-Chi's surprise, Maron's car took a wrong turn, while they continued going straight. Their car notably slowed as Chi-Chi stared out her window after the rear of Maron's disappearing car with a perplexed expression. Did Maron even know where she was going?

"Huh." Bulma finally uttered as they continued driving to the hotel at a normal speed. "Guess we ditched her. Didn't even have to try this time." Bulma chuckled haughtily. Chi-Chi raised her brows in content surprise.

"Guess not." She replied with a shrug as she relaxed into the seat of Bulma's car, enjoying the much calmer ride the rest of the way to the hotel.

When they reached the hotel, Chi-Chi and Bulma both hesitated outside the door. They couldn't take too long, because maybe Maron would eventually find the place, and they were already running a little late with all the chaos that had followed that phone call with Yamcha. They checked each other over, and Chi-Chi pursed her lips in annoyance at Bulma as Bulma tried to fix Chi-Chi's hair with one of _those_ looks on her face. Like Bulma thought Chi-Chi was hopeless. Pff. Like Bulma's hair was so much better. Chi-Chi swatted Bulma's hands away in annoyance.

"Let's just go inside. You told him you'd meet in the lobby, right?" Chi-Chi asked with annoyance as she turned towards the automatic glass doors of the hotel lobby.

"Stop." Bulma suddenly uttered as an arm flashed across Chi-Chi's chest, stopping her from taking another step forward. Chi-Chi glared at the arm, then Bulma for putting it there. What was she doing? "It's her." Bulma added with a deep frown as she nodded towards the interior of the lobby.

Chi-Chi followed Bulma's gaze to see Maron inside. How the hell did she beat them there? Chi-Chi was shocked Maron even found the place. She must have known a shortcut or something. Maron was with a handsome young man, clearly flirting as he obviously drooled over her ample, exposed cleavage she was wiggling in his face. He was a familiar looking guy. He was in that VIP lounge! But it wasn't _her_ guy! Chi-Chi smiled gleefully at the young couple flirting in the lobby, who she suddenly could care less about.

"Excuse me. Getting a room for the night, girls?" A bellhop said as he stepped behind Bulma and Chi-Chi with heavy luggage in both hands, gently pushing the girls aside so he could get through to the doors they were nearly blocking.

"N-no. Sorry. We were just leaving." Bulma responded distractedly to the stumpy, uniformed black man who nodded knowingly as he followed Bulma's gaze into the lobby.

"Yes. That might be a good idea. We do not allow loitering around this hotel." The bellhop responded as Chi-Chi frowned deeply at him. What gave him the right to speak so rudely to them?

"We _were_ going to reserve a room for the night!" Chi-Chi responded stubbornly as she raised her chin in the air.

"Well, either you are going to reserve a room or you are not. Which is it?" He responded calmly in his deep voice, seemingly unperturbed by Chi-Chi's stubborn outburst. Chi-Chi looked at the pair in the lobby again, only to see them approaching the elderly, yet professional-looking concierge at the front desk together. They continued to flirt as Maron pushed her body close and wrapped her fingers possessively over Yamcha's bicep, getting really touchy-feely with the guy, right there in the lobby, in front of the concierge who was trying his best to ignore the public display. Chi-Chi peeked at Bulma beside her, who was angrily glaring at the same sight.

"Not tonight." Chi-Chi answered as she wrapped her hand around Bulma's forearm and gave a gentle tug, prying her friend away from the spot where Bulma stared furiously at the little vixen who just stole her first chance at losing her virginity. They walked away together as the bellhop watched after them.

"Come back soon. Mr. Popo will be at your assistance the next time you choose Tenkaichi Hotel." He called after them with a subtle chuckle. Chi-Chi glanced over her shoulder at the wide-bellied man as he approached a car pulling in and began assisting the new arrivals with their luggage. Something about that man was…weird. They reached the car and sat inside wordlessly. Bulma started the engine, but did not move to start the car as she stared ahead with a glare, obviously deep in thought. Chi-Chi wanted to say something, but what was she supposed to say? Sorry you lost your hookup? Sorry a complete stranger is hooking up with Maron?

"So, he wasn't your guy, was he?" Bulma finally questioned as her eyes shifted to see Chi-Chi's reaction. Chi-Chi smiled a small smile and shook her head at Bulma, unable to hide the relief she felt. If that had been her guy in there…well, she would hope he would not be the type to _ever_ want to hook up with someone like Maron. Of course, what they were attempting was so superficial, how could she expect him to know any difference between Maron and herself?

"I thought he specifically asked for _you_ over the phone." Chi-Chi mused aloud as she suddenly realized the oddness of Yamcha's quick acceptance of Maron.

"He did." Bulma huffed, clearly annoyed and disappointed at the turn of events. "He asked to meet the girl with the blue hair, who…" Bulma trailed off as her mouth fell open in disbelief. Chi-Chi's eyes widened as she realized what Bulma was thinking.

"You think he thought Maron…was you?" Chi-Chi asked as her mind conjured an image of Maron from earlier in the evening. Actually, the way Maron looked that night was not too far off from the styling Bulma had on the night they were at the club. And they were quite a distance from the guys in the VIP lounge that night.

"I think Maron told him she _was_ me. She knew Yamcha was coming to meet me!" Bulma exclaimed as she pounded a fist on her steering wheel harshly. Chi-Chi grimaced at the blaring sound of the car horn before eyeing the steering wheel for damage. Bulma could get carried away when she was angry. Chi-Chi glanced back towards the lobby, noting the disappearance of Yamcha and Maron. It seemed _someone_ was getting laid. Not that anyone cared about getting Maron laid. Chi-Chi considered what would happen in that hotel room. Then she smiled smugly to herself. Wouldn't Maron be surprised when Yamcha asked her how much? She couldn't help laughing to herself at the thought of it.

"What?" Bulma asked as she raised a brow at Chi-Chi's laughter.

"Tonight is going to be Maron's first night as a working girl, and she doesn't even know it." Chi-Chi chuckled deviously. Bulma immediately smirked, and Chi-Chi was happy to see the change in her friend's expression.

"Serves her right." Bulma huffed victoriously as she strapped on her seatbelt and placed her hands on the wheel. "This isn't over yet. Not by a longshot." Bulma said decidedly as they reversed from the parking space and sped out of the parking lot. Chi-Chi smiled to herself. Her guy was still out there, still untainted by Maron, and she'd be damned if she let that girl get her hands on him before she did.


	10. What's Your Next Move?

Now this was more like it. Chi-Chi's cooking had to be the best food she'd had in a long time. Especially in comparison to that crap she'd been choking down from the cafeteria. 18 hummed in satisfaction as she savored the taste of her food, immediately stopping herself when she noticed the attention she was drawing at the table, which included a self-righteous smile from Chi-Chi.

She gulped her food down and frowned immediately at her onlookers before reaching for her soda and sipping it through the straw while Bulma continued her bitching about Maron and some guy named Yamcha. That was right. That was why 18 allowed herself to become so absorbed in her meal. Did she really have to listen to this? At least lunch hour was almost over. The bell would save her soon.

"Hi, Bulma." A sing-song voice tauntingly interrupted Bulma's rant. 18 glared at their intruder. Ironically, 18 wished Bulma's bitching had not just been interrupted.

"Maron." Bulma growled in response as she visibly tightened her fists and glared towards the table, refusing to face the self-assured girl standing behind her.

"You have some nerve coming over here!" Chi-Chi shouted as she stood from the table in an intimidating manner. 18 smirked as she watched Maron's eyes widen in fear. Dumb bitch. Should have known better than to come here. She probably wanted to gloat.

"Hey! What'd I do?" Maron asked cluelessly as she raised her hands in a defensive manner.

"Ugh! Don't even get me started, Maron." Bulma groaned as she rested her head in her hand and shook her head in disbelief. Launch appeared with her tray full of food, apparently still eating that cafeteria shit. She eyed Maron suspiciously before meeting the eyes of her friends at the table.

"Want me to get rid of her, girls?" Launch asked with a sneer towards Maron as she set her lunch tray on the table, before curling a fist into her other open palm. 18 enjoyed the way Maron stepped back with another fearful expression. Little by little, they were inching her away.

"I just wanted to thank Bulma for setting that whole thing up for me. That's all." Maron said with a hopeful smile as she attempted to meet Bulma's gaze. Bulma was practically snarling in her seat after that remark. She was going to blow.

"Listen, _Maron_!" Bulma yelled spitefully as she slapped the table loudly and spun around to face the little hoe. "I set up that meeting with Yamcha for _me_ , and you know very well that you stole him by claiming to _be_ me, so why don't you just get out of here?!" Bulma shrieked as she shook her tightly clenched fists furiously by her sides. 18 winced at the screaming before glaring again at Maron. She just had to start all this bullshit that turned her lunch hour into a bleeding eardrum session.

"Fine." Maron replied peevishly as she crossed her arms and shook her long blue hair arrogantly. "But just so you know, Yamcha was incredible in the sack. You really missed out." Maron added with a smug smile and a wink before turning away and sauntering off to go be a bitch somewhere else. 18 smirked with a thought while Maron was still within earshot. She couldn't let her get away with that stunt.

"How much did he pay you?" 18 taunted as Maron froze before slowly turning around. Chi-Chi and Launch snickered and took their seats while Bulma smirked at Maron triumphantly. Maron was frowning when she turned around, but then she blinked and her eyes widened in a dumbfounded expression.

"I don't know how you knew about the money, 18." Maron said with a look of concentration as she placed her hands on her hips. "But he did pay for the room and give me enough money for breakfast the next morning. He was _really_ sweet." She added with a giggle and girlish smile before turning around and leaving. 18 stared blankly after her retreating form. It didn't pay to insult a girl with no brains.

"That's it. I can't believe that happened. Now how am I supposed to get together with a really cute guy?" Bulma complained once Maron was gone. Bulma's plan was clearly a bust. She'd have to find some other way to meet a guy now, obviously.

"Why don't I track down Tien?" Launch suggested, a little too eagerly. "If we find him, he's bound to have his cute friends with him that you girls seem to like." Launch suggested with a wide smile as she anxiously awaited a response. Chi-Chi frowned as she seriously considered the suggestion, while Bulma frowned more angrily. Yamcha was Tien's friend. Why would Bulma want to see him again? How were they supposed to track down Tien anyways?

"You implanted a tracking device on that poor guy?" 18 suggested to Launch facetiously before she realized that it just might have been true.

"No!" Launch gasped defensively, looking shocked by the suggestion. "But if anyone can track down a guy, I can." Launch added as she pointed her thumb into her chest with a confident smirk. She certainly looked determined. She just might have been able to do it.

18 shrugged indifferently. At least, that was what she convinced herself. She wanted to think she was indifferent to who she'd pick to pop her cherry, so to speak. But some part of her that she really wanted to disregard was hoping to see Tien's friends again. She didn't know why. But she was kind of curious about that shorter guy she saw sitting alone at the bar that first time out, and wondered why he wasn't with the others that night at the club. His friends from the bar were there, but he wasn't. There was something about him that had her…curious. That was it. Just a curiosity. Nothing. More.

* * *

He sighed heavily as his weightlifting partner stood over him, spotting the barbell over his chest as he was attempting to work out. He wasn't sighing because the weight was too much for him to handle, or because he was nearing exhaustion. He was far from it. He was sighing because his weightlifting partner wouldn't shut up already.

Yamcha had been carrying on about some incredible girl he'd met and fucked and planned to see again…yada yada. With a strenuous effort and gritting his teeth, he fully extended the bar and placed it on the rack, with no help from his chattering spotter. Just how useless could a workout partner be? He sat up and turned around to face the guy behind him, who seemed to be carrying on the conversation just to hear himself talk.

He shook his head in disbelief and looked at the pair working out next to him. Vegeta was frowning disbelievingly at the whole one-man conversation, while his workout partner…well, where did he go? Anyways, Piccolo was not enjoying class. He couldn't wait for the bell to ring and to move on to the next subject. Which was saying a lot, considering that he liked lifting weights and his next class was calculus.

"You have to be kidding me." Vegeta finally groaned with disgust towards Yamcha as he shook his head and resumed his workout, sans spotter. It wasn't like partners were really that necessary in weightlifting class, anyways. Piccolo envied Vegeta at the moment. What he wouldn't do for his partner to abandon him.

"Hey. I kid you not." Yamcha replied to Vegeta haughtily as he pointed his finger towards the shorter guy, who seemed to not notice or to be making an effort to ignore the guy's comment. "Bulma was amazing." He added with a wide smile as Piccolo stood from the bench to switch places. It was so tempting to just keep walking, but he frowned deeply as he stationed himself behind the stupid bench and Yamcha took his place, sitting on the bench and preparing himself for the lift.

"Bulma is the best. I definitely have to call her again." Yamcha repeated as he laid back on the bench and reached his arms up to grasp the bar. Piccolo lowered his hands to prepare for spotting the guy, who likely couldn't lift that heavy weight he'd been lifting, at least not for more than a few reps on his own. As Yamcha lifted the bar with a grunt and began lowering the bar to his chest, Piccolo noticed that Vegeta stopped lifting ever since the girl's name was mentioned. Vegeta was looking at Yamcha with a look of disbelief. What? He had a thing for the same girl? Wouldn't that be perfect, between those two?

Piccolo chuckled to himself as he grasped the bar and assisted Yamcha with the last rep he was barely able to finish. Vegeta glared at Piccolo for a second before spinning around on his bench and resuming his workout. Yamcha finished his set and Piccolo switched places with him again. All in silence. It had finally ended.

"If that girl really met you, saw you, and still decided to fuck you that night, she _had_ to be desperate." Vegeta said in a harsh, bitter tone just as Piccolo was about to grab the bar. Damn! Just when Piccolo was getting some relief from that incessant gabbing, Vegeta had to go and start an argument. Piccolo frowned as he tried to focus on lifting and ignore the conversation that was beginning around him, but he just couldn't tune those testosterone-driven morons out! He growled with aggravation as he lifted the bar for his final rep, cutting his set short as he harshly set the bar on the rack and sat up abruptly to interrupt the fight that he knew was going to come, before it would start.

"Would you two shut up?!" He yelled as he glared first at Vegeta, who was seated on the bench next to him, then at Yamcha behind him, who Piccolo had to twist to face.

"Hey, guys!" Vegeta's partner called as he finally sauntered to take his place behind Vegeta's bench. The interruption distracted both Yamcha and Vegeta from whatever they were about to say, as all three of their sets of eyes followed the fourth wheel in the group disbelievingly. Where the hell had he been all class? The bell would be ringing soon.

"Don't even think about spotting me." Vegeta growled with a hateful glare to his chubby partner, who frowned in immediate fear at the threatening tone.

"Hey! I told you, Vegeta. I'm here for you, man! Whatever you need!" He said warily as he shook his hands nervously at Vegeta with an apologetic smile.

"Whatever I need?" Vegeta asked with a raised brow as Yajirobe nodded fervently in reply. "Get away from me!" Vegeta yelled. Yajirobe jumped at the alarming tone before stumbling away from the group, to wherever he just came from. Huh. That explained why Vegeta's partner was missing for the whole class. Poor coward was probably getting a zero for the day. That guy really got the short end of the stick when partners were assigned that day. Or maybe it was Vegeta that was unlucky. Piccolo chuckled in amusement as he watched Yajirobe nervously stumbling around the workout equipment to retreat to wherever he had been all class.

"Hey, Vegeta." Yamcha said firmly as soon as Yajirobe was gone. Piccolo rolled his eyes. When was this class going to end? "She really did like me. Don't start shit just because you're jealous." Yamcha added as he crossed his arms and dared to glare at Vegeta. Ah, fuck.

Piccolo grimaced as he prepared for the backlash that would come from Vegeta. But the other guy remained silent. Piccolo raised a brow in surprise at the sight of Vegeta crossing his arms tightly and silently fuming at Yamcha before he spoke.

"Jealous of _you_?" Vegeta mocked with an amused smirk. "I am simply stating a fact. That girl had no interest in you, and I can prove it." Vegeta said arrogantly as Yamcha narrowed his eyes warily at Vegeta. "Give me her number. She'll come running to me when I call, and I promise she won't think about you again for a second." Vegeta dared with clear malice in his voice. Piccolo sighed with chagrin. Yamcha frowned deeply at Vegeta, seemingly prepared to reject his proposition. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Yamcha's reluctance.

"Unless you're willing to admit that you already know that would happen." Vegeta added with a smirk. "Then there's no need for me to call her." Yamcha frowned at Vegeta's victorious smile. Poor guy was trapped between a rock and a hard place now. Of course, it was his own damn fault for shooting his mouth off like that. Yamcha reluctantly reached into his back pocket, pulled out a small card, and handed it begrudgingly to Vegeta.

"There." Yamcha said with a slight blush and a deeper frown as Piccolo quirked a brow in confusion. What the hell was embarrassing about giving Vegeta the number? Vegeta studied the card with a bemused expression before lifting his gaze to look at Yamcha. Then he burst out laughing. What the hell was on that card?

"Just shut up, Vegeta." Yamcha grumbled as he turned away and scowled. Piccolo gazed between the two guys. Vegeta seemed torn between being amused at Yamcha's expense and confounded by something else, while Yamcha was clearly embarrassed. If there was anything for him to be embarrassed about, it was the way he carried on about that girl through weight lifting class. Now that was shameful.

"Some great score." Vegeta mocked sarcastically as he pocketed the card. "Looks like there's no need for me to prove anything anymore." Piccolo frowned. The girl's number was making Vegeta back down? Something strange was going on here. But in this situation, Piccolo didn't care about what was going on with the girl's number. He crossed his arms and smiled knowingly at Vegeta. Vegeta wouldn't back down when he said he was doing something. He just didn't want anyone to know that he was doing it.


	11. Chance Encounter

She selected an item off the shelf and violently slammed it into the cart as she continued angrily noshing on the remainders of her Chinese takeout. She was alternating between the noshing and muttering to herself while continuing down the hygiene aisle of the store. Her plan to pose as call girls was supposed to work. It was supposed to be perfect. Once the guys called, the girls would get laid. Mission accomplished. What had gone wrong?

"Stupid Maron." She grumbled as she tossed another item into her cart, startling the old lady she was passing. But she didn't care. She had every right to vent if she needed to. How that ditz actually managed to steal a guy from under her nose, she could not fathom.

"And Yamcha." She muttered as she put another piece of syrupy-sauce-coated chicken into her mouth. Sure, maybe he was confused, but he should have recognized the difference between quality and a cheap bimbo! What an idiot, taking up with Maron like that! She grit her teeth as she slammed another item into the cart and reached the end of the aisle, quickly and distractedly rounding the corner when she slammed into another cart coming from the opposite direction.

"Ahhh!" She yelled in alarm as she stumbled back a few steps at the unexpected, harsh impact.

"Hey!" A masculine voice retorted indignantly as he pulled his cart from hers. "Watch where you're going!"

"Me!?" She retorted furiously before she met his eyes and her mouth gaped in shock as she recognized that face. Hot guy. Dammit, it was Chi-Chi's hot guy! Of all the hot guys she could run into, why did it have to be the one Chi-Chi was pining for? It was _not_ her style to play wingman. She had already inadvertently done it for Maron, and now she had no choice but to do it for Chi-Chi. She wanted to find a guy for herself already! What cruddy luck.

"Yeah! You practically ran me over." He replied petulantly with a frown as he crossed his arms. His expression immediately softened into a look of interest when he spotted the item in her hand. "That smells good." He said with a wide smile as he leaned forward, sniffing and peering into her takeout box. She raised her brows in surprise before eyeing the remaining food herself, where only a couple bites of chicken remained.

"I'm sorry I ran into you, okay?" She grumbled reluctantly as she quickly dismissed the food, but noted that he was still staring at it. "My name is Bulma. What's yours?"

"Goku." He replied, finally drawing his eyes from the food to smile at her. But his gaze quickly returned to the takeout box. Bulma frowned thoughtfully. After all her preaching about good bait, maybe she just found the perfect bait for this guy. Bulma smiled cunningly as an idea hit her. She knew how to get Chi-Chi together with her guy. But Chi-Chi would have to act fast.

"Want a bite?" Bulma offered as she extended the box towards him. Goku did not hesitate, immediately accepting the box and shoving the remaining pieces of chicken in his mouth. Bulma glared angrily at him as he returned the empty box to her.

"I said 'a bite'!" She yelled as she placed the empty box into her cart. She forced herself to calm at the sight of his recoil and grimace. She couldn't scare him off just yet. "Did you like it?" She questioned through clenched teeth as she crossed her arms and restrained the desire to scream some more at the jerk for so rudely taking the rest of her food.

"Yeah! It was really good! Thanks!" Goku exclaimed as he licked the sauce from his upper lip and placed his hands back on his cart, apparently ready to move on. He wasn't going anywhere yet, not if Bulma had anything to say about it.

"My friend, Chi-Chi made it. She's got a lot more, back at our hotel room." Bulma said with an enticing smile as she stifled a giggle. This was too good.

"Your friend made that?" He asked, pointing at the empty takeout box with a dubious expression. Well, damn. It was in a takeout box. Bulma clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"Yeah. She likes to package it in takeout boxes for us. It's just a quirky thing she does." Bulma lied quickly with a smile, wishing she had a better, more believable explanation.

"Oh. Cool." He replied with easy acceptance and a nod. Well, that was easy. Okay.

"So…" Bulma began, stalling as she thought things through and quickly planned the timing before she would propose her idea to Goku, "she loves to share her cooking with people. If you want to meet her for a bite, I'm sure she'd like to meet you. She's at the Tenkaichi Hotel. You know it?" Goku's eyes immediately lit at the offer, before his face dropped into a frown.

"Yeah, but…" Goku began as he warily rubbed the back of his head before glancing behind himself. Oh. He wasn't alone. "I'm not sure I can get over there now." Goku groaned, obviously unhappy about missing out on meeting with Chi-Chi.

"Kakarot! Where the hell are you? Let's go!" Someone shouted from the next aisle as Goku immediately stiffened.

"That's Vegeta." Goku informed Bulma with a dismissive sigh. "He's driving." Bulma's eyes widened in realization and she nodded understandingly at Goku. Now she'd have to convince Goku's friend to allow Goku to meet Chi-Chi as well. Extra work. Chi-Chi better thank her profusely for this when she'd return to the dorm later.

"Kakarot." The same voice repeated, this time much closer as Goku glanced towards the aisle to his left. A figure passed behind Goku towards his right, into Bulma's line of sight. Bulma immediately recognized Vegeta as one of the good-looking guys she noticed from the club the other night. He was buff. And he had a bad-boy vibe going on with the constant scowl he wore, but Bulma couldn't complain about that. It actually made him more interesting. Bulma smiled enticingly as she considered his appearance. Maybe this wingman gig was going to pay off.

"Vegeta, this is Bulma." Goku introduced as Vegeta glared impatiently at Goku. Vegeta seemed to have been too focused on being angry with his friend to even notice her presence, but as soon as he heard Bulma's name, his eyes widened in shock.

"Bulma?" Vegeta asked as he turned his head towards her with a curious, scrutinizing expression.

"Hi." Bulma said with a bold, flirtatious smile. Vegeta narrowed his eyes perceptively at her, not at all the reaction she was expecting. Then he smirked, but she didn't like the looks of that smirk. Bulma's smile faded as she watched Vegeta.

"I wanna meet Bulma's friend at the Tenkaichi Hotel. Think you can drop me off before you go back to the school?" Goku asked hopefully as Vegeta seemingly ignored the request and continued smirking at Bulma in amusement. "I'll take a cab home. It's on the way." Goku prompted pushily as he leaned his elbow on the handrail of his cart and frowned considerately at Vegeta's locked expression.

"What's your last name, Bulma?" Vegeta asked with a taunting tone. What was he getting at? Bulma frowned stubbornly back at him.

"None of your business." She retorted haughtily. Vegeta eyed the items in Bulma's cart and raised a brow of amusement.

"And what about those? Are those for _your_ business?" He asked pointedly as he nodded towards a package of condoms Bulma had picked up. Bulma blushed furiously. She forgot she had picked up those stupid things, but if she was planning on getting laid this year, she was not planning on getting knocked up. No thank you. She wanted no one to take care of but herself right now. But this was such an embarrassing way to meet a guy! She growled angrily back at Vegeta. He had some nerve questioning her about that!

"Listen, jerk! At least I'm smart enough to think about protection! Why don't you mind your own business?!" She exclaimed as she balled her fists tightly by her sides, fighting the urge to hit this guy. Apparently, her call girl card was making its way around Korin Military Academy, for him to insinuate her 'business' like that. She really had no ground to take offense after putting out a card like that. But that wasn't really who she was! And she had too much dignity to just stand there and be insulted by rude insinuations, even if they _were_ coming from a really hot guy.

"So? Can you drop me off, Vegeta?" Goku interrupted slowly and carefully, ending the argument as Vegeta removed his gaze from Bulma to glance at his companion.

"Fine. At least I can get rid of you for a while." Vegeta agreed as Goku smiled happily. Bulma looked at Goku and could not help calming her glare from her previous argument to smile back. The guy's smile was kind of infectious.

"Tenkaichi Hotel? Does she have a room number?" Goku asked Bulma, oblivious to Vegeta raising a brow at the suggestion of such a private meeting.

"If you give me your number, I'll text it to you after I call her and let her know you're coming." Bulma suggested as she pulled her phone from her purse. Goku pulled his from his jacket pocket and they exchanged numbers while Bulma remained painfully aware of Vegeta watching her again. It felt like she was being judged. What the hell was wrong with him? He should have been elated to be in the presence of a girl as beautiful as she was. She would make him sorry he ever acted like a jerk before he left. Bulma placed her phone back into her purse with a devious smirk.

"Thanks. I can't wait!" Goku exclaimed before he licked his lips again, probably savoring the lingering taste of the Chinese chicken he had already sampled. Bulma chuckled to herself. Goku had no idea just how much he had to look forward to. But she definitely needed to call Chi-Chi as soon as these guys were gone. "C'mon, Vegeta." Goku called as he was already steering the cart towards the checkout.

Vegeta hesitated from following his friend for a moment, and Bulma saw her opportunity. She eased her cart forward, giving Vegeta a very sultry look as she passed before she intentionally brushed against him with a subtle sway of her hips.

"Bye, Vegeta." She said as she glanced over her shoulder, noting that Vegeta stiffened at the brief contact. Bulma rounded the corner to the next aisle, and his eyes followed her until she was out of his sight. He'd definitely be sorry he ever insulted her. He just missed his chance. If he hadn't been so abrasive, she could have rocked his world.

As soon as she was out of Vegeta's sight, Bulma pulled her cell phone from her purse again, needing to act fast. She immediately called Chi-Chi and informed her of what had just happened. She hurriedly instructed Chi-Chi, omitting some tiny details of her conversation with Goku in her haste, to prepare her friend for the impromptu meeting with her target. It was a lot for Chi-Chi to handle so quickly, but she had the chance to be alone in a hotel room with the guy she had been eyeing for the past few years. Bulma knew Chi-Chi wouldn't pass up the opportunity she was giving her, no matter how rushed it was. She only wished someone would give _her_ such an opportunity soon.

* * *

He walked with his hands in his pockets, casually approaching the doors to the familiar hotel where his parents always stayed when they'd visit him and Raditz, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled widely while he removed one hand from his pocket to wave.

"Hey, Mr. Popo!" He called to the jovially smiling bellhop before he walked inside. Usually, he would have stayed and talked longer, but he was really hungry. He couldn't get the taste of that chicken out of his mouth, and for all he knew, this Chi-Chi girl might have eaten the rest of it already.

"Hey, Kami!" He called again as he crossed the lobby and smiled to the concierge behind the desk, who scowled reprovingly at his uncouth yelling across the sophisticated hotel lobby. Goku shrugged it off as he reached the elevators and extended his finger to push the button. He rocked on his heels as he stood with his hands in his pockets, waiting for those gold, shiny doors to open and bring him upstairs already.

Mmmm. He hadn't had Chinese food in a while. Why did Bulma have to tease him with just those few bites? The doors finally opened, and he stepped inside the empty elevator, pushing the button for the fourth floor, where he would find room 422, as Bulma had texted. He hoped she had the number right. If it wasn't right, he was so desperate for that food that he might have been willing to knock on every door to find Chi-Chi.

He found room 422 and knocked without hesitation. The door opened, revealing an eagerly smiling girl with long black hair, beautiful big black eyes, porcelain skin, and a really nice body clad in a long skirt and tank top. But where was the food?

"Hi. I'm Goku." Goku said as he assumed this must have been Chi-Chi, unless he had the wrong room, which he was already considering, given that there was no Chinese food to be seen yet. But she seemed excited. Maybe she did have really good food in there.

"Hi." She replied with a heavy exhale and a shy smile before she stepped forward. Goku's eyes widened at her proximity before she quickly lifted on her toes and planted her lips on his. Woah! What was going on? As Chi-Chi released his lips with a soft pucker, Goku could only stare at her in bewilderment, both at the unexpected move and the crazy sensation on his lips. She fluttered her lashes at him and smiled hesitantly as Goku gently reached for her shoulders and held her at arm's length. Or maybe he was keeping her from moving away. But he really wasn't sure. Maybe she was confused. Maybe this _was_ the wrong room. She must not have known why he was there.

"Chi-Chi, you do know what I'm here for, don't you?" Goku asked, purposefully injecting her name to be sure that this was the right girl, as he eyed Chi-Chi suspiciously. Chi-Chi smirked before giggling flirtatiously and pulling him into the hotel room by the hand.

"You certainly are impatient, aren't you?" She asked teasingly as Goku stepped into the room and closed the door behind him with a guilty chuckle.

"Well, yeah!" Goku admitted as he rubbed the back of his head. "Is it that obvious?" He asked as Chi-Chi smiled and blushed. To Goku's surprise, this girl seemed happy about his impatience. He shrugged to himself as Chi-Chi turned around and pulled his hand towards the Chinese food on the hotel room nightstand. Girls were strange, but at least this trip was going to be well worth it. He smiled and licked his lips as the mouth-watering scent met his nose. There still seemed to be plenty left!

Before he could reach for it, though, the girl swiftly sat on the bed, grabbing his free hand and pulling him down on the mattress beside her. Goku looked at her as he knit his brows in confusion, and before he could question anything, her lips were on his again. _What_ did Bulma tell her?

Goku opened his mouth and pulled back slightly, meaning to ask just that question, but Chi-Chi seemed to take that opening as an invitation. She leaned forward, following him as he leaned back, and slid her tongue into his mouth as her hands reached for his chest. Goku moaned in surprise, then pleasure as he forgot all about his question. The things that girl was doing with her mouth were really...but wait. He forced himself to grasp her wrists and lower her exploratory roaming hands to her lap as he removed his lips from hers, putting some distance between them.

"Chi-Chi, it's really nice of you to offer and everything, but don't you think we should eat before it gets cold?" Goku asked as he eyed the offered food on the nightstand pointedly. Chi-Chi looked shocked for a moment, really shocked for such a simple suggestion. What did he say? Then she lowered her brows into an angry glare and grit her teeth. Goku could almost swear he heard a growl. What did he say?!

"I'm not offering you anything!" Chi-Chi objected furiously with a bright blush as she leaned away from him and tightly crossed her arms over her chest in a concealing manner. Now she wasn't even going to share? What did he do wrong?

"Aww, but Chi-Chi, that's the whole reason I came over here!" Goku objected in a whine of blatant disappointment. Chi-Chi looked shocked again, but at least she didn't seem as angry. Maybe frustrated, but not angry.

"Will you make up your mind?!" She yelled suddenly, causing Goku to jump back towards the headboard in surprise. "Do you want it or not?" Goku raised a brow skeptically at Chi-Chi's behavior before very carefully, very slowly, leaning towards the nightstand to grab some of the food. He breathed a sigh of relief as he grasped it and Chi-Chi just watched him carefully. For a moment there, he thought she'd hit him just for reaching for the food, with the way she was acting.

"Yeah. Thanks." Goku said with an indicative raise of the takeout box before digging in with the box's protruding chopsticks and eyeing Chi-Chi carefully as he ate. Maybe she was still waiting to strike. She was just sitting on the bed beside him, still watching him eat. Goku finished what was left in that box with his eyes on Chi-Chi, who was _still_ staring at him. She looked sort of dumbfounded. She must have been confused, but about what? He raised a brow at her before carefully leaning towards the nightstand again to discard the empty box and claim the other one. Ooh! Lo mein. He lifted the food to his mouth and paused for a moment before taking his next bite, feeling a little uncomfortable about Chi-Chi's staring.

"Do you want some?" He asked as he wondered if that was what Chi-Chi expected him to do. Chi-Chi looked surprised by the offer, and stuttered some sort of reply before reaching her hands hesitantly forward towards the chopsticks.

"O-okay." Chi-Chi said uneasily as Goku released his grip on the chopsticks and allowed Chi-Chi to take some of the food. She kept her eyes on him as she slurped up the lo mein noodles from the second takeout box, splattering some sauce around her lips and cheeks as the impossible-to-eat-neatly food entered her mouth. Goku watched with awe as Chi-Chi's delicate lips moved while chewing, coated in that delicious sauce. Goku smiled at the sight of the beautiful eyes burning into him with curiosity, and the delicious-looking lips he had been kissed by only a few minutes ago. The combination of her lips and that sauce would probably be fantastic.

"What?" Chi-Chi asked self-consciously after swallowing the food and returning the chopsticks to the takeout box. She blinked at Goku as he smiled at her. He leaned forward and lightly planted his lips on hers, savoring the taste and the delicate feeling that did not disappoint his expectations. He sunk back into the mattress and smiled at her surprised, blissful expression.

"You're a really good cook." Goku complimented as he licked his lips again and savored that taste. He couldn't get enough. He reached for the chopsticks again and continued eating, because he needed more and there was still a little left in the bottom. Goku pouted at the sight of the empty box and placed it back on the nightstand.

"A good _cook_?" Chi-Chi asked. Goku froze while still facing the nightstand. That tone didn't sound good. He was afraid to look at Chi-Chi's face. Was she angry again? Did he say something wrong again? Slowly, he allowed his eyes to shift to the side so he could gauge her reaction. She was wearing an expression of disbelief. She wasn't angry. Maybe she just wanted confirmation that he really thought she was a good cook.

"Yeah. A good cook." Goku answered curtly before turning back to sit facing Chi-Chi. That must have been the wrong answer. Chi-Chi bared her teeth at him and started turning red in the face before growling angrily. That _was_ the wrong answer! No! Goku grimaced and extended his hands towards Chi-Chi, thinking he would comfort her in some way, but he really had no idea what to do.

"I'm going to kill Bulma!" Chi-Chi shrieked as Goku winced at the volume and Chi-Chi jumped to her feet from the bed. Goku twisted to watch her as she walked around to the other side of the bed. Where was she going? "This is so…I just…I can't believe you came here for the food!" Chi-Chi ranted while pacing anxiously around the hotel room. Goku could only stare at Chi-Chi with a bemused expression. Now he was completely lost. "This is so embarrassing!" Chi-Chi exclaimed with a wide, violent wave of her hands.

"I'm…sorry?" Goku attempted to assuage her anger the only way he could think of, though he could not think of a single reason to apologize for what he did. Bulma offered for him to come eat the food. And it wasn't like he complained that there wasn't enough. He was glad he hadn't done _that_ when he thought of it earlier. Chi-Chi stopped pacing with her back to Goku at the sound of his apology. Her shoulders rose and fell in angry heaves of breath. Goku knit his brows together tightly in bewilderment. He really was getting more than he bargained for when he decided to come here.

"I'm glad you liked the food, Goku. Since it's gone now, I guess you just want to go." Chi-Chi huffed despondently as she finally turned to face him. She looked so disappointed. Goku immediately frowned at her expression. He couldn't leave her like that. He only wished he knew what she was upset about. Maybe it had something to do with the kissing.

"I can stay if you want to kiss a little more." Goku offered with a hopeful smile. Chi-Chi frowned at him. _What_ did this girl want? He was trying to make her happy, but she just kept frowning and getting angry. Finally, to his relief, she stepped towards him with a small, hopeful smile.

"You…would want that?" Chi-Chi asked shyly. Goku thought carefully. He wished Chi-Chi would stop asking him so many tricky questions. Maybe she'd be angry if he wanted to kiss. "I…didn't think you liked it." Chi-Chi added with a frown before glancing towards the empty Chinese food boxes on the nightstand. "You seemed more interested in the food." She said with a sneer towards the evidence of the offending items. Goku smirked. _Now_ he understood. She thought he didn't like the kissing. But whatever gave her the idea that he came to her hotel room to kiss? Goku laughed with relief before standing from the bed to meet Chi-Chi.

"I like it." He simply answered the bewildered girl before planting his lips against Chi-Chi's gaping mouth. She moaned as they shared another deep kiss and Goku placed his hands lightly on her hips. Then he pulled away, and she seemed disappointed that it didn't last longer. "But I can't stay much longer. I need to get back to the dorms before curfew." Goku explained, hoping Chi-Chi would understand and take no offense. She nodded as her big, black eyes met his and he smiled with relief. She wasn't angry, for a change.

"I understand." Chi-Chi said with a sigh as Goku reached for the hotel room phone to call down for a taxi. "But Goku!" Chi-Chi added anxiously as Goku raised his finger to her to wait and quickly made his request over the phone. He hung up the phone and looked at Chi-Chi again, who looked very anxious about him leaving as she twirled her fingers together and looked like she wanted to say something, but kept stopping herself. Goku waited patiently as he stared at Chi-Chi with wide eyes.

"Here." Chi-Chi said as she handed him a small, pink slip of paper. "Call me soon. I want to see you again." She said with a hopeful smile. Goku smiled back as he took the paper from her and pocketed it in his jeans. He really _was_ getting more than he bargained for when he agreed to meet Chi-Chi, but he couldn't complain. The temperamental girl was weird, but fun. He wouldn't mind seeing her again sometime.


	12. Stuck On The Sidelines

A/N: Just want to say thank you to everyone who has been reviewing this story, and I apologize that I have not been responding to your comments. I have really been slacking as far as this story goes. I just want you all to know that I appreciate your feedback! I love reading every review. This story does not require much question-answering, because it's pretty straight-forward and low key, so that has allowed me to put off responding. Sorry! I have read several comments that this plan of Bulma's is really irresponsible, and it is. But the crazy plan is what sparks the confusion and chaos that follows...shenanigans! So don't worry, there is no serious drama in this story, not really, and nothing really goes according to plan. I'm also surprised how many people are loving Launch in this story! She is a crazy character; it makes me miss the fact that she didn't stick around past the first few episodes of DBZ.

* * *

First Maron, now Chi-Chi. This just wasn't right. She was the first one with her mind set on her guy! She should have been the one getting laid by now!

"Bulma, how could you do that?" Launch complained with an irritated groan after Bulma finished explaining to her and her roommate what happened while she was out. They were wondering why Chi-Chi left in such a rush, not even bothering to explain where she was going with all that Chinese food. Bulma said she ran off to the Tenkaichi Hotel, to get laid by her man. Launch could understand, in that case, why Chi-Chi would run off like that. What she couldn't understand, as she stared at Bulma in complete bewilderment, was why Bulma went to all that length to help Chi-Chi.

"I don't know." Bulma groaned as she crossed her arms with a look of utter disappointment. "I guess I just felt bad for the girl. She has her heart set on that guy, and the likelihood she would have gotten him without my help, well..." Bulma trailed off with a shrug and a dubious frown. Launch rolled her eyes. Chi-Chi would have done just fine on her own. It wasn't like anyone was trying to help _her_ get Tien. Launch smirked deviously at that thought.

"Hey, Bulma." Launch called, disrupting Bulma from her internal fuming, or whatever she was doing. She seemed really peeved ever since returning from the store. "Since you're in such a generous mood-" Launch began with a wide smile before Bulma scowled and rudely cut her off.

"Oh, no! I am not doing that again!" Bulma immediately objected. Launch scowled at the immediate refusal. Sometimes new friends were too self-serving for their own good.

"Well, _I_ really don't care." 18 decided as she shifted comfortably on her bed across the room. "Chi-Chi can get some. Why's that a problem for you two?" 18 asked confrontationally. Launch sneered at 18's attitude. Maybe 18 was right, but she shouldn't have been so judgmental about it.

"Because...who cares about Chi-Chi?!" Bulma exclaimed angrily. " _I_ want a guy!" She added with clear frustration. Launch snickered in agreement. Couldn't argue with that.

"What about you, 18?" Launch asked curiously. Surely that girl couldn't have a lack of interest in what they all wanted. "Don't you want to get some for yourself?" 18 leaned back and propped her feet on the bed while looking at the other girls with a smug smile.

"When I'm ready for my guy, it'll happen." 18 answered confidently and dismissively. Launch frowned dubiously before looking at Bulma. Bulma was shaking her head at 18's statement, and seemed to be already returning to her fuming. Damn, that was getting annoying!

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Launch asked Bulma abruptly as she crossed her arms and glared at Bulma's annoying attitude. Bulma's eyes shifted to meet Launch's with an aggravated, disbelieving expression on her face.

"You mean, _besides_ what we've only been talking about for the last ten minutes?!" Bulma exploded as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Launch. Launch only glared harder. No one was going to get her to back down.

"Yeah, besides what we've been talking about!" Launch snapped, repeating Bulma's words to her mockingly. "I'm not blind, Bulma. There's obviously something else bothering you tonight." Launch added with a haughty smirk. Bitch. Bulma should learn when to back down. For someone so smart, she could be pretty pig headed sometimes.

"Yeah." 18 agreed nonchalantly as she checked her nails for a moment and leaned towards Bulma. "What is it?" She asked as she slightly sat up from the bed and leered towards Bulma curiously. Bulma crossed her arms and frowned defensively at the other two.

"Just...some jerk pissed me off." Bulma muttered with a deep frown. Someone pissed Bulma off. Like that was news. Launch blew a raspberry, unimpressed by Bulma's admission as 18 raised a brow, looking almost intrigued about Bulma being pissed.

"Somebody cut you off on the road?" 18 guessed with a smirk. "Made some sort of derogatory comment towards you?" She guessed without waiting for Bulma's response to the first question. "Want me to take care of him for you?" She suggested, again not waiting for Bulma to answer as she raised a menacing fist and glared into empty air.

"Thanks, 18." Bulma replied with an amused smile, finally dropping that brooding mood. "But if I see that jerk again, I'll take care of him myself." She added with a determined scowl. Launch smirked at Bulma's powerful demeanor. That was more like it. Girls shouldn't be whining about guys acting like assholes; they should be taking care of themselves.

"Exactly, Bulma! That's the right attitude." Launch agreed with a wide smile. Bulma smiled proudly in agreement as the slamming of a door sounded in the hall. The girls froze and looked at one another in anticipation.

"Could that be Chi-Chi?" 18 asked as she slowly sat upright on the bed. Launch smiled and inched forward on her bed excitedly. Now they could hear all about Chi-Chi's sexual rendezvous! If Launch couldn't have Tien yet, she could at least live vicariously through her lucky friend who _was_ getting some.

"Yes! She's back!" Launch shouted as she jumped to her feet and ran to the door, impatiently making her way to Bulma and Chi-Chi's room across the hall. The other girls were following. She could hear them, but she was not going to wait.

"Chi-Chi!" She called as she glimpsed the other girl entering her room and just about to close the door behind her. Chi-Chi froze and turned to face Launch through the doorway with a dreamy smile on her face. That was the look of a girl that was satisfied. Launch smiled knowingly at her friend as the other two caught up and they were all gathered together in the hall.

"How was it?" 18 asked immediately to Chi-Chi's smiling face. Chi-Chi's smile fell into a hesitant frown at the question.

"Goku was...amazing." Chi-Chi answered with a sigh as she opened her door wide to allow the others to join her in the room. Sure, they should go into her room. If Chi-Chi was going to give them all the juicy details, the hall was not the place for that discussion. "Thank you, Bulma, really." Chi-Chi said whole heartedly as she turned to her roommate and placed a hand gently on Bulma's shoulder. Launch clapped Chi-Chi harshly on the back in congratulations.

"I can't believe you did it before me! I am so freakin' jealous right now!" Launch exclaimed, though she couldn't stop smiling at Chi-Chi. She was happy for her friend. The girl looked so content.

"Uh, well, I..." Chi-Chi stuttered as she hesitantly raised a hand in the air before Bulma cut her off.

"How bad did it hurt?" Bulma asked bluntly. Launch wondered why in the hell Bulma would want to ask about _that_ detail. That was the only part Launch was not interested in.

"Hurt? Uh, no." Chi-Chi replied as she shook her head hastily and opened her mouth to say more.

"It didn't hurt?" 18 interrupted incredulously. "Chi-Chi, were you even there when it happened?" She asked mockingly. Chi-Chi glared at 18's comment with her lips clamped shut tightly, suddenly looking furious.

"Chi-Chi did what she set out to do." Bulma interrupted defensively as soon as she saw Chi-Chi's anger surfacing. "If she doesn't want to kiss and tell, that's up to her." Bulma added with a haughty smile. Launch frowned at Bulma. She probably planned on being the only one to hear the juicy details once the other two left.

"Well, I will tell you," Chi-Chi began with a smug smile, "the kissing was incredible." Chi-Chi said with a starry look in her eyes as she sat on her bed. Bulma giggled and sat beside Chi-Chi.

"And...?" Bulma questioned as she leaned into Chi-Chi expectantly. Chi-Chi's face fell into a frown.

"I thought you said she didn't have to kiss and tell." 18 said accusingly to Bulma as she crossed her arms.

"Well, she started to!" Bulma replied defensively. "I just thought she might want to finish!" She added with a snobby huff. Launch frowned. Why wouldn't Chi-Chi get to the good stuff? That was what they were there for.

"C'mon, Chi-Chi." Launch groaned impatiently. "Was he big? How long did he last? What positions did you use?" Launch asked excitedly as Chi-Chi blushed furiously.

"That's none of your business!" Chi-Chi screamed, really rudely. What was wrong with her? Launch was only asking the questions everyone wanted answers to. Chi-Chi huffed as she attempted to calm herself. "It was beautiful. That's all you need to know." Chi-Chi replied stubbornly with her nose in the air. Dammit. Launch knew that tone. Chi-Chi was definitely staying tight-lipped now.

"You're really not going to give us any details?" 18 grumbled disbelievingly. Chi-Chi shook her head slowly in firm denial. "Fine, bitch." 18 grumbled as she reached for the door. "I'm going to bed." Launch nodded in agreement as she scowled at Chi-Chi. There was no point sticking around there any longer.

"Goodnight, guys." Bulma said in quiet disappointment. Chi-Chi smiled as she watched the other two leaving the room.

"Goodnight!" Chi-Chi called cheerily as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. Of course she was cheery. She was the only one who'd been laid out of their frustrated group. Not for long. As she returned to her own room with 18, Launch decided she was done waiting. She'd find Tien as she had promised, and she'd do it very soon.

* * *

He groaned as he looked at the stack of homework assignments on his desk. He knew he had to do them soon, and he had plenty of time today, given that classes were canceled for some teachers meetings, or some junk. But he really didn't want to. Wouldn't it have been better to go for a drive, maybe get off campus for a while? He shifted his gaze to his roommate across their room, who was currently folding some laundry. What a boring day they were having already.

"What do you think, Krillin?" He asked, causing his roommate to cease his folding and turn to face him with raised brows.

"What do I think about what?" Krillin asked obliviously. About getting out. About doing something interesting. Yamcha _did_ know one person who always seemed to find interesting things to do. Maybe they should go see what he was doing, even if it risked a run-in with the asshole.

Part of Yamcha actually hoped to see Vegeta, just so he could settle his mind in knowing whether Vegeta called Bulma or not. He knew she was a call girl, but he would have hated to know that she slept with Vegeta after him.

"You wanna see what Goku's doing today? We've got to find something interesting to do." Yamcha suggested once he decided that going to that room, he couldn't lose. Krillin looked intrigued. He had to know that Goku would find something fun to do, too. But suddenly, Krillin frowned.

"Goku's probably training today, Yamcha." Krillin informed him. Yamcha instantly raised his lip in a subtle sneer. That definitely was not his idea of fun. But what if Goku _wasn't_ training? He wouldn't be in his room if he was training. There was no harm in checking their room across the hall.

"Let's just check." Yamcha suggested as he headed to the door with his eyes on Krillin. Krillin shrugged at Yamcha, dropping his unfolded laundry dismissively on the bed as he followed Yamcha out the door. They crossed the hall and reached Goku and Vegeta's room, knocking loudly until the door opened.

"Hey...Vegeta." Krillin said warily as that grumpy ass released his door to cross his arms and stare them down. He seemingly didn't like being surprised by their presence in his doorway. But what else was new? Everything they did pissed off Vegeta.

"What are you two nerds doing here?" Vegeta asked as his eyes darted back and forth between eyeing Krillin and Yamcha.

"We're looking for Goku." Yamcha replied firmly as he was instantly incensed by Vegeta's name calling. What the hell made them 'nerds' anyways?

"He's not here." Vegeta responded with an amused huff.

"Where'd he go?" Krillin asked curiously as he placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head considerately at Vegeta.

"How should I know?" Vegeta exclaimed. He was clearly aggravated about being asked. Yamcha actually could understand that. He hated when people asked him where his roommate was, too. It was probably the first time he ever understood Vegeta's irritation, and it would probably be the last. To his surprise, Vegeta sighed before he did grumble an answer to the question of Goku's whereabouts. "He's probably meeting that girl at the hotel again." Yamcha's eyes widened as he met Krillin's shocked gaze. Did Vegeta say what he thought he said?

"Goku met a girl at a hotel?" Krillin asked in clear shock. Vegeta chuckled haughtily. Then he eyed Yamcha pointedly, and Yamcha did not like that. It was the look Vegeta always gave right when he was about to say or do something really cruel.

"That's right. I dropped him there after we ran into _Bulma_ at the store last night." Vegeta said with a smirk, his gaze never leaving Yamcha. Yamcha glared back at Vegeta. He couldn't believe Vegeta saw Bulma last night! "He was meeting one of her friends." Vegeta said pointedly. "In a hotel room." Vegeta chuckled wryly. Yamcha frowned deeply. Yeah, he knew exactly what that meant. Shit, he had just been in Goku's place himself not too long ago. But that was with Bulma. _His_ Bulma. Not Vegeta's Bulma, as Vegeta seemed to be thinking now.

"Goku? Really?" Krillin asked dubiously. The guy was clearly oblivious to the tension happening between Vegeta and Yamcha. Of course, Krillin did make a good point. Goku did not seem the type to hook up with a strange girl so quickly. Yet, if any guy was in that situation with a girl like that, there was no way he would leave that hotel room without something happening. Yamcha's lip turned up in a half smile. He was actually kind of happy for his friend.

"Alright! Go, Goku!" Yamcha cheered before laughing aloud.

"Hey, guys." A voice called from behind Yamcha and Krillin. Yamcha spun around to smile at the familiar voice of his friend.

"Hey, Goku!" Yamcha greeted as he stepped aside to allow Goku into his room. Though Vegeta still blocked the doorway, so the gesture was kind of pointless.

"We were just talking about you." Krillin muttered with a snicker of amusement.

"Why don't you tell us about this girl, Goku?" Yamcha asked with open curiosity. He really wanted to hear all about last night.

"Girl? Oh, you mean Chi-Chi." Goku replied as he placed his hands on his hips and smiled nonchalantly at the others.

"I'm surprised you bothered to remember her name." Vegeta mocked, causing Yamcha to roll his eyes and Krillin to shake his head.

"I had a great time with Chi-Chi last night!" Goku exclaimed as he opened his mouth to say something else to Vegeta, but Krillin interrupted him.

"Yeah, I bet you did!" Krillin exclaimed as he elbowed Goku in the ribs with camaraderie. Goku blinked at Krillin before returning his attention to Vegeta.

"Were you going somewhere, Vegeta?" Goku asked curiously as he took in Vegeta's appearance of being dressed in athletic clothing, rather than the usual casual attire he'd wear on days off from classes.

"I was going to the gym to train before these dorks came here looking for you." Vegeta responded irritatedly, though Yamcha noted curiously that Vegeta was making no move to leave.

"Oh! I've gotta get to the gym today, too! I'll go with you!" Goku suggested as he darted past Vegeta, into their room. That was no good! Yamcha wanted to hear some details before Goku went running off. Vegeta glared as he watched Goku move past him.

"You are not coming with me, Kakarot! I'm going by myself!" Vegeta objected vehemently as Goku reemerged from the room with a gym bag and a wide smile.

"Oh, no you're not!" Goku replied with an amused chuckle as he hurriedly shuffled past the group. Yamcha opened his mouth to object and try to get a word in to his easily distracted friend. "Bye, guys!" Goku called as he began running down the hall and Vegeta growled angrily.

"Goku!" Yamcha called after his disappearing friend in frustration. Damn! He missed his chance to hear more! At least he had his own experience to go on. One he wanted to keep his own. The three of them remained standing in the doorway, and to Yamcha's surprise, Vegeta remained firmly planted in place, rather than chasing after Goku.

"Idiot. He can go to the gym by himself all he wants." Vegeta mused aloud as his glare turned into a haughty smirk. "Too bad it's shut down for the day." Vegeta chuckled. Yamcha looked at Vegeta in disbelief. If that was true, why did Vegeta even say he was going in the first place? Yamcha shook his head in disgust. Sometimes it seemed that guy lived for causing other people trouble.

"So what are you doing now then, Vegeta?" Yamcha challenged as he crossed his arms and glared at Vegeta. Vegeta raised a brow, looking amused by the challenge.

"Hmm." Vegeta hummed pensively as he tightened his crossed arms. "Speaking of Kakarot's activities last night, that reminds me. I _do_ owe someone a phone call." Vegeta said as he cast a malicious look to Yamcha's startled expression. He wouldn't! Yamcha thought he had dropped the whole idea. Vegeta said he didn't need to call Bulma. He was probably doing it just to get under Yamcha's skin. But he _was_ getting under Yamcha's skin! Yamcha grit his teeth with frustration as Krillin looked warily between the two, finally sensing their tension.

"Now get out of my doorway." Vegeta stated bluntly as he reached for the door. Yamcha frowned deeply at Krillin, who carefully took a step back as Vegeta's door swung closed on them. Krillin looked at Yamcha with a concerned expression after they both stared at the shut door for a moment.

"Are you alright?" Krillin asked Yamcha out of concern while Yamcha remained frowning at the closed door. Yamcha couldn't stand by and watch Vegeta snatch up his girl. He didn't care if Bulma was a call girl. He wanted to see her again. Preferably, before Vegeta did.


	13. Better Than Yamcha?

Hmmm. What would she do now? She wondered lackadaisically as she wandered through the dorm hall, towards her room. Maybe there was a good show on. She might just go in her room and...oh. Never mind. She slowly opened and glanced through her dorm room door with disappointment. Her roommate was already in there, lazing her big ass about the room. Maron frowned deeply as she crossed her arms with distaste towards that sight. She wasn't going in there. Now what would she-

"Another one!?" Launch's loud voice announced from the room next door, interrupting Maron's musing with her shocked tone. "Go, Bulma!" Launch cheered and laughed loudly as Maron curiously peeked around the corner into the ajar doorway where the girls sat together. Bulma was mumbling something back at Launch, sounding moody, as usual. Maron couldn't understand why those girls had to be so mean sometimes. That day in the lunchroom their attitude was just uncalled for. Maybe she should join them now, give them the chance to apologize. Maron smiled pleasantly at the idea. That would be nice, if the others would apologize for yelling at her so rudely.

"Knock, knock." Maron sang gleefully through the open doorway as she presented her face to the others, immediately ending Bulma's grumbling. There was Chi-Chi and Bulma and Launch. And then there was 18, who was scowling at Maron. Ow. Maron stumbled at the abrupt collision of 18's shoulder against hers as the other girl left in a hurry without a word to the others. Rude, rude, rude. Maron rubbed her shoulder gently with the opposite hand as she watched 18 cross the hall and return to her room. Then Maron closed the door behind her and smiled at the others. 18 was always mean to her anyways. The other girls would want to apologize, though.

"What's this about 'another one'?" Maron curiously asked the group of three before her after a long, awkward beat of silence.

"Well," Chi-Chi began as she looked hesitantly between Bulma and Launch, "Bulma got a call from another guy looking to meet her, but she's not-" Chi-Chi abruptly stopped speaking with a grimace before glaring at Bulma. What happened? Maron scratched her head as she focused on Chi-Chi's face and waited for her to continue. The girl just stopped speaking in mid-sentence. And everyone thought _Maron_ was dumb.

"I'm not ready yet, but I'll be meeting him soon." Bulma finished Chi-Chi's sentence for her with a smirk and her eyes boring into Maron. "And this one is a _lot_ hotter than Yamcha." Bulma said arrogantly with a competitive scowl.

Hotter than Yamcha? No way! He was so freakin' cute! Bulma, of course, never saw Yamcha up close and personal like _she_ had, so she wouldn't know. Maron smiled smugly back at Bulma's competitive glaring.

"I don't believe you." Maron replied stubbornly with a smile as she firmly shook her head in denial.

"I don't, either." Launch muttered with her eyes narrowed pessimistically at Bulma. Chi-Chi shook her head in agreement with Launch as Bulma glared at both of them. Well, Maron might not have been getting the apology she was hoping for, but at least those bitches were getting mad at each other for a change.

"Bulma, didn't you tell him you wouldn't-" Chi-Chi began warily with an outstretched hand towards Bulma, who quickly swatted the hand away and cut Chi-Chi off.

"I wouldn't be wearing any panties tonight? Yes I did!" Bulma replied hurriedly with a gloating expression. Chi-Chi's and Launch's eyes widened in surprise at Bulma's outburst, but the other girl didn't look the least bit embarrassed. Yeah. Maron wouldn't be embarrassed about that either. Come to think of it, Maron remembered she wasn't wearing any panties at the moment. The funny coincidence made her giggle.

"Well, I'd better get going. Vegeta sounded pretty demanding on the phone." Bulma said as she stood from her chair and swished her hair around arrogantly. "I wouldn't want to leave a guy like _him_ waiting." She said with a devious smirk as she eyed Maron intensely. What was with all the looks? Was Bulma really so sure that this guy was better than Yamcha? _Gasp._ What if he was? Was Maron selling herself short? Maybe she should check this guy out.

Maron narrowed her eyes considerately at Bulma who was gathering her belongings and saying goodbye to the others. She was leaving, and Maron didn't even know where they were meeting. She had to act now, or she would miss her chance.

"Bulma!" Maron called with urgency in her voice as she stepped towards the girl already passing through the doorway. She opened her mouth to say more and took another step forward when Bulma ignored her and slammed the door in her face! Maron frowned deeply as she came to an abrupt halt in the face of the shut door. Then Chi-Chi and Launch started laughing. Maron spun to face them with an indignant glare.

"What's so funny?!" Maron fumed to the laughing pair of girls. She really wanted to see what that hot guy Bulma was going on about looked like. She had to know if he really was hotter than Yamcha. Now she was disappointed that she didn't have the chance to find out, and these girls were laughing at her. Maron pouted with frustration as Chi-Chi and Launch's laughter subsided.

"I want to see Yamcha again. He really _is_ hot." Maron said petulantly as she crossed her arms and scowled at the other girls. Then a devious smirk crossed her face. "Besides, it's not like _you two_ have a guy of your own." Maron taunted vindictively. Those girls had no business mocking her, if that was what they were doing. Maron wasn't really sure, but she thought they were.

Launch growled furiously and bared her teeth at Maron. Yet to Maron's shock, Chi-Chi only smiled smugly at her in response. Why wasn't Chi-Chi angry? Of course, Maron didn't have any time to contemplate that as Launch jumped off the bed from where she'd been sitting and launched aggressively at Maron.

"Ahhh!" Maron screamed in surprise at the vicious attack as she stumbled back towards the doorway, reaching behind her to twist the knob and ducking backwards through the door with her eyes on Launch's furious expression the entire time.

"Why, you!" Launch exclaimed as Maron hurriedly swung the door shut in front of her and leaned against it to barricade herself from Launch. Launch pounded harshly against the door, which vibrated with a painful thud against Maron's back. As Launch went off on a tirade on the other side of the door and Maron could hear Chi-Chi trying to calm her, Maron breathed a sigh of relief. Some people were so touchy!

But that whole encounter had her feeling lonely. Now Bulma had a guy, too. Maron was supposed to be the one with a guy. She missed her Yamcha-wamcha. Maybe she should go back to her room and give him a call, if she could find his number. Wouldn't he be pleasantly surprised to hear from her?

* * *

She was sexy. She was fickle. She was stubborn as hell. She _was_ a virgin.

He chuckled triumphantly to himself as he glanced again at the girl wrapped in a tangle of sheets, still naked in bed beside him. Not that she admitted to her virginity. No, she was still playing out that call girl bullshit story. He had wondered how far she would take it before she'd admit that she was just a normal teenage girl, but he never would have imagined that she'd let it get this far. No, normal did not describe her. But she sure as hell was no call girl.

He recognized the signs of it being a girl's first time. He was no idiot. Either Yamcha lied about being with her, which was very likely, or something strange was going on. Why was she so quick to jump in the sack with him? Weren't girls supposed to be all clingy and emotional about their first time? She had been staring at the ceiling, seemingly in a serene haze while he was thinking to himself. He was certainly surprised that he was able to go all the way with her, especially after the blatant and ridiculous refusal she made when he first called.

"What made you change your mind?" He asked suspiciously as he propped his head on his hand, supporting himself with his elbow as he turned to face her satisfied grin. She startled from her daydream or whatever the hell had her distracted and slowly turned her face towards him, before frowning at his question through the soft white pillow fabrics partially concealing her face.

"It's a long story." She grumbled. Vegeta frowned deeply at her. She was ruining the unusually good mood she had just put him in. She had complained over the phone about what a jerk he was at the store, but now she was pissing him off with that attitude. Maybe she _liked_ him being a jerk, and just didn't want to admit it. Fine. He was more than alright with playing it that way.

Vegeta climbed out of bed to get his clothes on, not at all missing the way Bulma sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of his nudity. He smirked conceitedly to himself as he kept his back to Bulma, pulling his clothing on from the ground and then whirling around to face her as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" Bulma asked in clear annoyance as she brusquely pulled the fluffy white bed covers aside, revealing a really tempting sight to Vegeta. For a moment, he did not know how to answer that question as he watched her squirm her way off the bed towards him. Just what was he doing walking away from _that_? Then he remembered. Her call girl bit. She still wasn't admitting anything, even _after_ they fucked.

"I'm leaving." He replied bluntly as he forced his eyes off of her to secure his belt with a snap. He extended his hand in reach for his jacket, which was slung across a chair near the wall of the hotel room. Vegeta stilled when her warm, delicate hand glided over his, much like it had in bed earlier, begging him to stay. Then he shook it off and marched towards the door.

"Vegeta!" Bulma called in a loud and furious tone that made him cringe before he reached for the doorknob. Ugh! Why did women have to sound like that? "What is your problem?" She asked accusingly. He frowned deeply as he turned around. She really wanted him to stay, and still wanted to keep playing her stupid game? Fine.

"Oh, right." Vegeta said as if he suddenly remembered. "How much?" Vegeta asked acidly as turned around and carefully studied Bulma's reaction. She glared furiously, stomped her foot, and approached him, which was all very amusingly childish coming from a sexy, naked teenage girl. It _was_ amusing, until she reached her hand back and smacked him across the face. He exhaled harshly through his nose and his eyes widened in shock at her audacity. He was pissed. Her weak little tap didn't hurt him in the slightest, but still, no one hit him like that and got away with it!

"You know very well I am _not_ a call girl, ass!" Bulma yelled as her face turned red with fury and she looked like she was about ready to cry. Why the crying? Shit! He felt some sort of a chill run up his spine at the unpleasant sight of Bulma's eyes welling with angry tears. What had he gotten himself into? And why was this even bothering him? Most of all, he was wondering how she figured out that he knew. He gaped in disbelief at her as all those questions were running through his mind, and finally choked out a loud response in frustration.

"Then why the fuck are you pretending to _be_ one?!" He exclaimed as he clenched his fists by his sides, feeling like he broke a blood vessel in his throbbing temple. Bulma crossed her arms over her breasts self-consciously, as if she suddenly realized she was having this conversation naked. Vegeta glared at her impatiently as he waited for an answer from her that wasn't coming. Then Bulma turned around and retrieved her clothing from the ground with violent gestures as if she was having a tantrum and a silent conversation with herself.

What the hell? Vegeta groaned as he watched Bulma dressing herself and silently fuming all the while, remaining resistant to explaining herself. He asked a reasonable question. But this girl was far from reasonable. He crossed his arms and turned towards the door again, refusing to watch her petulant behavior any longer. After a while of enduring the sound of her shuffling and breathing, which was gradually slowing from the frustrated panting with which she had begun her tantrum, he shook his head and reached for the door again.

"Vegeta." Bulma called in a tone of defeat before he reached the thing. He felt his eye twitch with irritation. What was she going to say _now_? "I'd like to see you again." She admitted quietly as Vegeta blinked in surprise at her honest and genuine tone. "Call me sometime." What did she expect him to say to that? She still stubbornly refused to tell him why she was pretending to be a call girl. Though she did finally admit as much. That whole encounter was supposed to be just for sex, just one time, he thought. And to irk the pants off that loser, Yamcha. Yet, Vegeta couldn't help being tempted by the offer, even if Bulma was completely unreasonable.

"Hn." He responded in a hum of consideration as he grasped the sleek metal door handle to leave. If she was so clever to decipher that he had figured out her little role-playing game, she would probably read into that wordless syllable as well. Then she'd know, to his chagrin, that he'd like to see her again, too.

* * *

A/N: Some slight edits were done to this chapter. Hopefully it's less dubious now. I hope no one finds the slap offensive. I could not imagine a girl in that situation _not_ slapping the guy, especially any of the DBZ girls.


	14. He Never Called

A/N: Back to back updates, because the last chapter is sort of a two-part with this one. Hopefully this chapter clarifies things for the guest reviewer that had some questions. Part of the conversation towards the end of this chapter is supposed to be confusing, so just keep reading through that confusing conversation and everything should come across clearly by the end.

* * *

Where did it go? Where did it go? He groaned in frustration as he shuffled papers around on his disorganized desk of his room. He could have sworn he left the number right there. Right under his history book. He stopped and scratched his chin pensively. Or was it under his math book?

He turned his head side to side, scanning the room for that little pink slip of paper, which really should have stood out like a sore thumb, seeing that he didn't use pink paper. Oh! Maybe it fell under the desk! He got down on his hands and knees, lowering his face to the floor and turning his head sideways as he peered at the shadowy floor beneath the furniture.

"What are you doing?" His roommate voiced with annoyance as he raised his head in surprise and hit his head hard against a jagged edge of the desk. He winced in pain as he slid out from beneath the furniture and sat upright on the ground, rubbing his head with a forced smile.

"I lost…uh…" he glanced momentarily at something he'd seen beneath the desk, quickly grasping it and presenting it to his roommate, "my pencil. Pen!" He corrected with a shake of his head as he more closely observed the writing tool he had haphazardly snatched. His roommate scoffed and rolled his eyes as he breezed past Goku and headed for his own desk.

"What are you working on?" Vegeta asked Goku absently as he sat and opened a book of his own to begin homework.

"Huh?" Goku scratched his head and absently placed the found pen on his desk. Vegeta slowly turned in his chair with an unamused expression.

"What were you working on before you lost your pen?" Vegeta repeated slowly with irritation lacing his voice, before he lowered his chin disbelievingly at Goku's clueless expression. "Or do you rescue lost pens for the fun of it?" He added sarcastically. Goku chuckled guiltily. He didn't realize he'd need an explanation for his other explanation. Elaborate lies were never his forte.

"Oh! I…an essay." Goku answered, crossing his arms with a big toothy grin. Maybe that was playing it off too much. Why would he be smiling about writing an essay? Goku immediately stopped smiling and stared back at Vegeta's disbelieving stare, until Vegeta shook his head dismissively.

"Why don't you write an _essay_ about how your new little bald friend never shuts up?" Vegeta suggested bitingly as he turned his back to Goku, lifted his pen to paper and began his own writing. It was nice of Vegeta to offer a topic suggestion, but that was a little harsh. Krillin was more than some little bald guy that talked a lot. He was a _fun_ little bald guy that talked a lot!

"What are _you_ working on, Vegeta?" Goku asked curiously, changing the subject as he kept his arms crossed tight and glanced intrusively over Vegeta's shoulder. Vegeta hunched over his desk, concealing his paper as he glared warningly over his shoulder at his roommate. Goku shrugged and backed away before glancing around the room for any other ideas of where that paper might have went. "What was Krillin talking about?" His eyes continued searching around the room as he tried to maintain conversation with Vegeta.

"He wants us to go out with him and the other losers this weekend." Vegeta grumbled with his face in his paper. That idea sounded alright, not that he could care right now. He wanted to call Chi-Chi before going out again. "He also wants to know what type of detergent I use." Vegeta sneered mockingly as he continued with his writing. Goku nodded. Detergent…laundry detergent. Laundry! Goku smiled in realization. He left the number in his pocket! It must have been in his laundry somewhere! Goku hurriedly reached for the half-filled laundry basket in his closet, pulling it to his drawers and feverishly emptying all of his pants from the drawers into the basket. He couldn't look here without arousing Vegeta's suspicion. But he _could_ go down to the laundry room!

"Did you hear me?" Vegeta asked gruffly as he looked over his shoulder at Goku. Goku poked his head up from his task in surprise. He had heard Vegeta's voice, but really wasn't listening to whatever Vegeta had been saying. He tried to remember. Did Vegeta mention Bulma's name for some reason? Vegeta knit his brows at the sight of Goku emptying clean clothes into his dirty laundry basket, obviously perturbed by what his roommate was up to. Goku chuckled guiltily and rubbed his head.

"Hear what, Vegeta?" Goku responded innocently with a tilt of his head, maintaining his large grin as he hoped Vegeta would decide not to ask.

"You're going down to do laundry?" Vegeta asked with a suspicious raise of his brow. Goku nodded.

"Yep."

"If you see Krillin, tell that freak to stop sniffing my clothes." Vegeta huffed as he returned to his work at his desk. Goku lifted his basket and smiled at the sight of Vegeta turning around and resuming his work.

With childish enthusiasm, Goku ran down the stairs to the laundry room, bursting through the swinging doors by pushing through them with his filled basket. He found a vacant area of the laundry room and stationed himself in front of a washer as he began checking every pocket of clothing he could before tossing the checked items into a front-load machine.

As he patiently searched each pocket, Goku hummed to himself until he reached the bottom of the basket. Then he frowned as the final pocket came up empty. Where was it? Goku groaned as he turned from his empty laundry basket to the machine where all his clothes were. He'd have to check again. He must have missed it. Goku leaned into the machine, pulling pants out and groaning in frustration. He practically fell into the machine retrieving the items that had reached the back of the washer, and pulled back out with a sigh of relief once it was emptied again.

Then he glanced up to notice Piccolo standing a few feet away, staring at Goku with an amused smirk. Goku chuckled nervously at the sight of Piccolo's stare. Then he looked at his refilled basket, unsure what to do now with Piccolo watching. He quirked a brow at Piccolo, who was standing there with his arms crossed, his own basket of laundry at his feet, still smirking at Goku.

"How long have you been standing there?" Goku asked warily, placing his hands in his pockets and trying to appear casual.

"Long enough." Piccolo replied before chuckling at Goku's expense as Goku's smiling façade fell into a frown. "What did you lose, Goku?" Piccolo asked knowingly as he deserted his basket of laundry to walk up to Goku, leaning his back against one of the stacked machines as he crossed his arms again. Goku groaned in defeat. He didn't want Vegeta to know about the lost number, because the guy would mock him endlessly. But maybe telling Piccolo wasn't so bad. Piccolo seemed to already know anyways, judging by that smug smile on his face.

"Chi-Chi's phone number." Goku confessed as he anxiously rattled his hands in his pockets before looking up for Piccolo's reaction. Piccolo laughed as he shook his head knowingly.

"The girl from the hotel?" Piccolo asked as Goku nodded in agreement. "You didn't call her yet?" He added disbelievingly as Goku sadly shook his head. Piccolo snorted in amusement. "You're going to be sorry if you see that girl again." Piccolo replied as he began walking away from Goku, towards his own basket. While Piccolo set to work on the machines with his own laundry, Goku's eyes widened in understanding of Piccolo's warning.

"Oh, no." He groaned. Goku wanted to find the number because he really wanted to call Chi-Chi. He hadn't considered that she'd be expecting that call. He was just now beginning to realize how screwed he would be if he saw Chi-Chi again.

* * *

"So, if it takes two weeks for the factory to produce 4000 cartons, and the factory is shut down for two days, then how-alright." Bulma said as Ms. Mai finished passing their group and the girl turned her focus from her paper to her friends. "What do you want to know?" Bulma asked with a proud smirk.

Yeah. She seemed really proud of what she'd done. Not that Launch would know. _No._ She'd still had zero interaction with the opposite sex, aside from a little manhandling of Tien, and she was tired of waiting to hear everyone else's stories. But she had given up any notions of Tien calling their pseudo call girl service. The guy was definitely not a hunter. Not like Launch.

Launch frowned as 18 listened intently but stoically to Bulma's detailed discussion of her sexual encounter at the hotel. Bulma certainly wasn't shy about it. Where was she when Launch was actually in the mood to hear that stuff? Bulma left the room that night and really went to play call girl with some guy named _Vegeta_. Just hearing his name made Launch decide he must have been a bastard, even before Bulma was beginning a rant about how the guy hadn't called her. But Launch couldn't really blame the guy for that move.

"You know, Bulma," Launch said condescendingly as she irritably tapped her pencil on her desk, "if you tell a guy you're a call girl and he sleeps with you, you really shouldn't expect him to call you again." Launch expressed with a lowered chin and raised brows as she eyed Bulma's aghast expression.

"Well then, listen to this!" Bulma began with a determined glare as Launch leaned forward expectantly. "Five hundred, no three hundred." Bulma said as she shook her head at the correction and Launch cocked her head at her friend's nonsense talk. What the hell did Bulma think she was doing? "Three hundred men carrying five loads each-" Bulma said as Launch glanced curiously over her shoulder to see Ms. Mai walking away from behind her. Oh, good. So Bulma wasn't going crazy.

"He knew that I wasn't a call girl, and he slept with me anyways." Bulma continued haughtily once Ms. Mai was gone.

"Wait. What?" 18 asked with a completely confounded expression, probably wearing the same one Launch was demonstrating at the moment.

"How do you know that he knew?" Launch asked as she crossed her arms and eyed Bulma skeptically.

"Your call girl plan sucks, Bulma." 18 commented with a smirk before Bulma could answer. Bulma gaped at 18 for a moment before narrowing her eyes at both her blonde friends at her desk as she leaned forward and spoke more quietly.

"When I saw him at the store, he was questioning me about the call girl stuff, but he seemed all suspicious and judgmental about it. Then when he called me, he was so straightforward about asking to meet for sex, like he _knew_ I would say yes." Launch rolled her eyes at Bulma.

"Of course he knew you would say yes. You were a 'call girl'." Launch said while raising her fingers for air quotes.

"Shhh!" Bulma snapped as she anxiously looked around the room. Alright, maybe Launch said the words 'call girl' a little loudly. She could quiet it down. As long as no one shushed her again! She glared at Bulma in warning as the other girl continued speaking.

"No!" Bulma vehemently disagreed with Launch's earlier statement. "I realized later that he had it figured out before he even called me." Bulma said arrogantly as Launch raised a dubious brow, not understanding what the hell Bulma was talking about.

"If it was before he called you, how is that later?" 18 asked skeptically as she rested her chin in her hand and leaned forward with her elbow propped on the desk. Bulma groaned irritably.

"Later _after_ running into him at the store, but _before_ he called me!" Bulma exclaimed as she glared impatiently at the other two. Launch still wasn't getting it. And frankly, she was losing interest in this conversation.

"Don't you get it?!" Bulma exclaimed to her friends' confounded expressions. "Vegeta knew I wasn't a call girl, so he was testing me to see how far I'd go. The prick!" Bulma yelled angrily as she crossed her arms. "Like I was going to back down to him." Bulma added with an incredulous sneer.

"The prick is an ironic choice of words, Bulma." Launch replied with an amused laugh.

"If you knew he was testing you, why'd you sleep with him?" 18 asked Bulma with an annoyed glare. 18 was probably as tired of this conversation as Launch was. Bulma frowned at 18 and huffed before looking away from the others regretfully.

"Maron." She answered in a groan. Launch's eyes widened in understanding.

"Ohhhh." She and 18 breathed in unison as Launch nodded in understanding. If Maron had stolen Launch's first chance at a guy, Launch would have done anything for revenge against that girl. And she remembered that conversation in the dorms when Maron was eavesdropping. She didn't understand at the time why Bulma was claiming to be going to see the guy that she had turned down, but now it made more sense. She really did see the guy, and she really did sleep with him, and it was all to outdo Maron. Or was it? If that was it, why was Bulma upset that the guy hadn't called her?

"So he slept with you when he knew you weren't a call girl, just to test you." 18 stated as she studied Bulma carefully for confirmation that she understood correctly. "And you slept with him anyways, when you could have just _lied_ to Maron about it." 18 added with a knowing smirk as Bulma frowned deeply at the statement. "And he said he'd call, but hasn't called you?" 18 asked with a slight tilt of her head as Launch looked at Bulma, curiously awaiting her answer. Bulma frowned and hesitated. Launch's shoulders drooped with exasperation as she stared at Bulma's obvious resistance to answering that question.

"He didn't even say he'd call you, did he?" Launch asked knowingly as she narrowed her eyes at Bulma. Bulma continued frowning as she crossed her arms and stubbornly rolled her eyes, refusing to answer.

"Bulma." 18 groaned disappointedly as she obviously agreed with Launch's conclusion.

"Well you can forget about _him_." Launch stated bluntly as 18 glared reprovingly at Launch. "What?" Launch defensively questioned 18. "It's the truth. He got what he wanted, and now he's done with you. What more did you expect, Bulma?" Launch questioned her unhappy friend abrasively.

"I expected-" Bulma began in a haughty tone before she lowered in her seat and grimaced at something just over Launch's head. Launch warily turned slowly in her chair to see Ms. Mai standing over them with a furious expression.

"Girls, you are not doing your work. I'll have to give you all zeros for the day." Ms. Mai decided as she began collecting the papers from their table with a victorious smirk.

"No!" Launch objected as she threw her body over the table, spreading her arms wide in an attempt to defend her group's papers. Ms. Mai stood upright with one hand on her hip as she eyed Launch intently.

"No?" Ms. Mai questioned mockingly. "Well if I'm not taking your papers from this desk, I _will_ be taking something else." Ms. Mai responded stubbornly. Bulma and 18 exchanged a glance as Launch groaned in defeat.

"Fine. Here." Launch relented as she reached behind her neck with both hands and unclasped the necklace she had been wearing. It was always the routine with that teacher. Give her something to appease her, and you have an A for the day. Launch was just lucky to be wearing a necklace that day that she didn't give two shits about. And she had wondered why she bothered putting that thing on this morning. What a lucky break. As Launch dropped the necklace in the teacher's palm, Ms. Mai smiled, eyeing the jewelry before looking at the girls sternly again.

"Good. Now get back to work." Ms. Mai ordered before walking away to deposit her prize wherever she kept all the shit she confiscated. The girls sighed as they buried their faces in their papers, setting to work quietly for a few minutes as they knew Ms. Mai was watching them carefully. Then Bulma raised her head slightly from the papers, meeting Launch's eyes with a determined expression Launch did not expect to see.

"I felt something with him, Launch. And I know he felt it, too." Bulma said, maintaining an intense gaze for a while longer before returning to her work. Launch frowned pensively as she watched Bulma put pen to paper. Their plan was supposed to be about getting laid. Not about getting boyfriends. But maybe they were in a little over their heads, thinking that it would just be over after one time. "And if he doesn't call me," Bulma added crossly, abruptly interrupting Launch's thoughts as she looked up from her paper again, "the next time I see him he's _gonna_ feel it." Bulma added with a menacing glare before returning to her work. Launch still wanted to see Tien again. But seeing what Bulma was going through, maybe she'd take things slower with Tien. At least, she'd try to. Launch was a little confused, but she was sure about one thing. The call girl gig was up. It was time for Launch to come up with her own plan of attack.


	15. Dreamgirls

He was having that dream again. It was one of his favorites. He was flying, really flying! And his little imaginary friend from childhood was with him. He loved that guy. They used to do everything together. He was so little, and so sweet, and so loyal. He'd go flying with him in these dreams. They picked up speed in their never ending dream sky and when a sharp bang sounded they suddenly…collided with a wall?! Where did that come from? He'd never seen that here before. He looked to his friend, to see the little guy falling towards the ground after that collision. No!

"Chiaotzu!" He yelled as he sat upright in bed with a start. He panted as his awareness came back to him and he realized Piccolo was awake, staring at him with a disgruntled-looking scowl.

"What the hell is a Chiaotzu?" Piccolo asked with a subtle rise of his upper lip. Tien frowned deeply and cringed at the question. He didn't talk to anyone about his dreams of flying with Chiaotzu. He sure as hell wasn't going to start with Piccolo. Piccolo shook his head impatiently at Tien's lack of an answer, then that same sharp bang from Tien's dream sounded again. Tien looked towards the window in alarm, but Piccolo seemed unperturbed by the disruption.

"It's for you." Piccolo explained to Tien's questioning expression. Piccolo laid back in bed and pulled the covers over his head, his mannerisms showing he was clearly annoyed with the disruption.

" _What's_ for me?" Tien questioned incredulously as he looked towards the window. Piccolo groaned loudly and turned over before yelling his response over his shoulder towards Tien.

"A girl at the window! Will you go talk to her so I can get some sleep?!" Piccolo replied as he slid his pillow from under his head and clasped it tightly over his ears.

"A-at the window?" Tien asked as he knit his brows tightly in confusion. Piccolo didn't respond. How could a girl get outside their window? The closest girls were at that school across the lake. Crossing that seemed impossible enough, but then there was the barbed wire fencing and the security officers on night duty around the perimeter. Tien remembered, those nights they went out past curfew, how difficult it was to sneak back in.

"Psst!" Tien's eyes widened at the voice that wasn't his or Piccolo's coming from the window. The window cinched open with a quiet creak and Tien threw the blankets off his legs, placing his feet firmly on the floor as he debated what he should be doing. "Tien!" The voice called through the window. He recognized that voice calling his name instantly. When he wasn't dreaming about flying with Chiaotzu, that voice had been haunting his dreams for the past weeks.

"Launch!" He called back to her while trying not to disturb Piccolo. Acting on instinct, he rushed to the window, feeling the need to assist the girl. It just seemed the gentlemanly thing to do. Though, as he saw Launch's smiling face on the other side of the window, and he felt heat rising to his face, and she began climbing into their room through the opened window, he wondered what the hell he was thinking. "Launch, what are you doing here?" He asked nervously when he realized she was in his room. A girl. In his room. Sure, Piccolo was there, too. But Piccolo was doing everything in his power not to notice their presence at the moment. They were practically alone.

"You sure play hard to get, don't you?" Launch answered flirtatiously as she straightened her clothing from her climb through the window and then tossed her lengthy blond curls over her shoulder with a huff. Tien opened his mouth to respond, but no words would come out. That girl was so confident. And so beautiful. And for some reason, she really wanted him. Damn! She even found a way…

"How did you get here?" Tien finally uttered some words as he was completely baffled and still could not wrap his mind around how Launch was possibly standing in front of him in his room. Maybe not the best words he could have said. As soon as she heard his question, Launch's smile turned into an angry glare and she placed her hands on her hips crossly.

"Is that all you have to say to me? I come all this way to see you, and all you want to do is talk about how I got here?" She replied loudly as she tapped her foot angrily and Tien suppressed the desire to shush her. He knew that would end badly, but he was anxiously glancing at Piccolo on occasion, and the poor guy was repeatedly cringing every time Launch's voice rose.

"I'm sorry, Launch." Tien answered quickly as he reached for Launch's hands and gently led her to the other side of the room, as far from Piccolo as they could get. He felt like he owed Launch something for her efforts. The girl really deserved a prize or something for coming all that way on her own without getting caught. But he didn't have anything to offer her. Now he felt bad. He frowned in defeat. What was she expecting from him?

"I accept your apology!" Launch exclaimed jovially as she wrapped her arms around Tien, clinging to him tightly. Tien grimaced at the unexpected embrace. That was a quick change in mood. At least she was happy now. Tien hesitantly wrapped his arms around Launch, returning the embrace, if only to get her to release the tight, relentless squeeze she was giving him. Launch sighed happily and pulled away at his gentle touch, and Tien sighed in relief.

"Launch, I really am impressed that you came all the way over here, but you shouldn't be here." Tien said strictly as he slightly lowered his chin and met Launch's eyes with a stern expression. Launch frowned back at him. She looked so cute in that moment, even a little pouty as she blew a loose strand of her from her face. Then she nodded solemnly in agreement.

"Alright. I guess I'll go." She responded despondently. Tien felt his cheek lift on one side, and realized he was sort of smiling at her. When she calmed down a little, Launch was actually really attractive. Did he really want to let a little bit of a crazy personality scare him away from a girl like that?

"Here. I'll walk you out." Tien offered amicably as he extended his hand to grab Launch's. Launch looked up at Tien, meeting his eyes with a truly appreciative smile. Yeah. This walking her out thing was a good idea.

"Okay." Launch said with a sniff as she turned towards the window. Tien froze in place, thinking he would tell Launch to use the door. Then he realized she was probably going to be seen if they went that way, even if it was the middle of the night. He couldn't take any chances. As Launch looked questioningly towards Tien's lack of movement, Tien smiled and led the way to the window. He slipped through and turned around to help Launch again.

They kept their back to the wall as they sneakily made their way to the nearest fence, the way Tien always went when he was sneaking back _in_ after being out late. The night guards were out, so they couldn't talk and they had to be careful.

"This way!" Launch ordered. She pulled Tien in a different direction than he intended to go, and he nearly panicked before he decided to follow her lead. He just hoped she knew what she was doing. Surprisingly, Launch led Tien to a section of the fencing that had already been torn, as she revealed when she pulled it towards her and prepared to slip through. She paused though, holding onto the fencing and smiling hesitantly at Tien.

"Maybe we'll see each other again sometime." Tien said before throwing a wary glance over his shoulder. He really hoped he wouldn't be caught out here with a girl. He couldn't imagine the punishment he'd be in for. Then he amended his statement hurriedly. "I mean, somewhere outside of school." Launch smirked before leaning towards Tien, and he had no chance to back away from her hasty approach. Her lips clashed hard with his and he stiffened in response. How did she do that so fast?! Launch pulled away with a victorious smirk and slipped a note into his hand. Then she slid through the fencing before looking through it at Tien from the outside.

"Next time we see each other, I promise you'll be in for a lot more than that!" Launch said as she absorbed Tien's shocked expression. Tien stood speechlessly as he watched Launch run full speed for the trees beyond the fence. Then he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. What had he done?! Launch was far from finished with him, and he practically just invited her out.

Tien hurriedly snuck back towards his dorm window, hoping desperately that Piccolo hadn't locked him out, out of spite. He sighed with relief as he returned safely to his window, which was still open, and climbed into his room. The paper Launch had slipped him was still clenched in his hand, and he unrumpled it and held it up to the dim light coming through the window. It said four words:

 _Bar Tomorrow, Bring Friends_.

Tien smirked as he shook his head and dropped the paper on his nightstand before settling into bed. He knew exactly what bar Launch meant, the one where they first met. Then Tien realized the direction Launch had been heading when she left. She was heading for that boarding school. He hadn't realized it before, but that was the only place she could be coming from, to be close enough to sneak to his window. He slept a little easier after that, knowing that at least now he knew where to find her and that he had some plans he was happily anticipating, in spite of his fears regarding the persistent girl.

* * *

"Tonight, I am telling you." Launch whispered insistently as she leaned across her desk to get right in her friend's scowling face. She raised a brow disbelievingly at Launch. She didn't have any problem with what Launch was suggesting. That was actually intriguing. It was how the other girl could talk and blatantly lean across their desks while they were supposed to be taking a test that was bothering her. Of course, Ms. Baba was filling in for Ms. Ranfan, and the little old lady could hardly hear anything. Ms. Baba also seemed too interested in whatever she was reading on the computer screen at the front of the class to care what the students were doing. But time was almost up, and she was not going to let Launch jeopardize her grades.

"Shhh!" She whispered harshly as she buried her face in her paper and blatantly shifted in her seat to show her back to Launch. She penciled in her responses on her test as she willfully ignored the insistent pestering continuing from the seat behind her, in the next aisle over. She growled with aggravation after a while when Launch wouldn't quit. What did she have to do to get this girl to take a hint already? "Shut up!" She yelled out of frustration as she spun quickly to glare at the other girl in warning.

"Ms. Mao. Do we have a problem?" Ms. Baba croaked with concern from the front of the room. Chi-Chi rolled her eyes. Of course, when _she_ spoke, the old lady finally paid attention.

"No, Ms. Baba." Chi-Chi grumbled into her desk as she faced forward again and resumed completing her test. She only had a few questions left anyways. Couldn't Launch have waited until after the test to suggest her great plan for finding the guys? Chi-Chi actually found it hard to believe that Launch had tracked down Tien, but Launch seemed to be in an incredibly giddy mood. Launch wouldn't be so happy if she hadn't seen the guy.

Chi-Chi completed her test and smiled in self-satisfaction as she stood from her desk to turn it in. Once again, hours of studying had paid off. She definitely aced that thing, as long as Baba wasn't going to lower her score for her earlier outburst. As Chi-Chi returned to her desk, Launch passed her to turn in her own test, smirking proudly as she was likely thinking about her plans, rather than her test score.

"Time's up. Pencils down." Ms. Baba ordered with a raise of her hands and a dramatic gesture of lowering them as she said 'pencils down'. Chi-Chi stretched her arms high with satisfaction at accomplishing such a great test score before crossing her arms and smiling to herself. Now the bell would ring, and then she could hear all about Launch's arrangements for tomorrow night. "You'll receive your scores tomorrow." Ms. Baba promised just as the bell was ringing. Chi-Chi gathered her books from under her desk and sauntered proudly to Launch's side as they left the classroom together.

"So? Can I talk now?" Launch asked facetiously as they walked down the hall. Chi-Chi clutched her books tighter to her chest and rolled her eyes, which Launch obviously accepted as an agreement to continue. "I snuck over to the military school last night and paid Tien a visit." Launch whispered as her eyes lit excitedly and a huge grin crossed her face. Chi-Chi's eyes widened in alarm at the suggestion. How was that possible? How did Launch find a way over there? Could Chi-Chi get over there? She started considering the idea. If she could sneak into Goku's room at night…

"…are you listening to me?" Launch asked loudly with a poke in Chi-Chi's shoulder. Chi-Chi scowled at Launch and rubbed her shoulder. Geez. So she was in her own world for a minute. A girl could daydream, couldn't she? Especially when she had the sweetest, most endearing encounter with the most amazing guy she'd ever seen…who still hadn't called for over a week. And who she still hadn't slept with, despite what her friends thought. Now that they thought she had, it wasn't all that necessary to do it, but…

"Forget it, Chi-Chi. You're obviously not listening." Launch groaned angrily. Chi-Chi grimaced guiltily. Twice in one conversation. That had to be her personal record for tuning out her friends. And she was about to do it again! Stop, Chi-Chi! She slapped herself lightly on the forehead and forced herself to smile at Launch.

"So what did he do?" Chi-Chi asked politely as she smiled at Launch. She really didn't care what Tien did when Launch surprised him like a stalker outside his window. She had been paying some attention after all, or she wouldn't have heard that detail. But Launch obviously wanted to gush before she'd spill about the plan.

"He kissed me." Launch said with a triumphant smile. Chi-Chi beamed back at her and before she could respond, Launch corrected herself. "Actually, I kissed him. But he liked it. He wants to see me again, and that's why we're meeting the guys at that bar tomorrow." Chi-Chi immediately frowned. The bar? That place with the delinquent bartender and a floor that made Chi-Chi want to get on her hands and knees and scrub the place down? And what did Launch mean 'the guys'?

"Who exactly are we supposed to be meeting, Launch?" Chi-Chi asked as they rounded the corner to turn down another hallway, temporarily separating as they made their way around a pair of girls headed the opposite direction.

"Tien." Launch said as soon as they reconvened and continued their steady walking pace. Chi-Chi rolled her hand in the air with an expectant gaze, waiting for Launch to continue. "And…and…" Launch said as her face contorted tightly in concentration before she punched her fist lightly against her forehead, "ah, shit!" She exclaimed dismissively as she violently drew her hand down. "I can't remember their names. But you know who I'm talking about!"

"Goku?"

"Yes! And that Vegeta bastard!" Launch exclaimed as her eyes lit in remembrance.

"Vegeta bastard?" Chi-Chi questioned skeptically. Apparently Launch was already giving the guys nicknames. She better not have made some stupid nickname for Goku. "You mean the guy Bulma slept with?"

"Yeah. And he never called her. Jerk." Launch said with a sneer. Chi-Chi frowned. She knew that was bothering Bulma, though Bulma hated to show it. Truthfully, Chi-Chi was bothered as well, and Goku didn't even sleep with her. Why would he and Vegeta be planning to meet them if they never bothered to call? They should have been hiding from the girls like the cowards they were if that was how they were going to act.

"Are you sure they're going to be there?" Chi-Chi asked Launch dubiously as they reached their classroom and stopped just outside the door. Launch shrugged indifferently and nodded.

"Yeah. Tien's telling all the guys to come." Chi-Chi tilted her head considerately at Launch.

"Did he tell them _we_ were coming?" Launch blinked in surprise at the question before she frowned at Chi-Chi.

"No. I didn't even tell him. I just told him to bring his friends." Launch said blankly before glancing into the classroom. "You ready to kick chemistry's ass, Chi-Chi?" Launch asked with a smirk as Chi-Chi shook her head to clear out her distracting, busy thoughts regarding Goku. Chi-Chi needed to focus. She realized she was thinking too much about Goku, and he really didn't even deserve to be on her mind after he so rudely decided not to call her. But she was going to that filthy bar with Launch tonight, and if she did see him, she was going to give him a piece of her mind.


	16. All Together Now: Take One

So here they were. Why here, rather than the more attractive, stylish place they had met the guys at last time? She had no freakin' idea. She sneered at the sight of a days-old wad of chewed gum on the ground only inches from her patent heel before she sidestepped it and lifted her gaze again, smoothly pushing aside the blond strands of hair that had fallen in her face from her downward gazing.

"Are they in there?" She asked monotonously to the over-anxious one pushing her face up against the front window of the bar as the other two stood back and eyed the parking lot like a couple of hawks. Or maybe they were more like rabid dogs. What kind of animal was eerily alert and then went wild when it found its target? Eh. She couldn't find the right analogy. But that's what those two were.

"I see him!" Launch exclaimed from her post at the window. "I see him! It's Tien!" She shouted as she pointed at the window. Like the rest of them could see through that small, fogged up window from where they stood. And if Launch thought 18 was taking a single unnecessary step in that parking lot, she had to be out of her mind.

"Good. Let's go." 18 said impatiently as she took a cautious step forward, eyeing the ground every step of the way until they reached the door. Or, actually, until _she_ reached the door. The others were way ahead of her, having sprinted in there fanatically as soon as 18 said 'go'. As 18 stepped inside the shabby establishment, she crossed her arms and slowly scanned the room with her eyes, taking in the hectic scene before her.

To her right, two drunken strangers appeared to be getting into a heated debate, older men. A few bar stools down from them, the bartender was cackling in amusement at the most noisy and amusing sight in the bar, which 18 was not ready to acknowledge yet. A few feet beyond the bar, Launch's guy and his dark-haired pal were chatting and heading into the men's room, oblivious to Launch hot on their heels. Poor, desperate Launch was just a second too late as the guys disappeared through the men's room door and Launch smacked it hard with frustration before crossing her arms and leaning against the wall just outside the door to wait for them. 18 sighed as she finally decided to look at the scene she had been attempting to ignore, straight ahead of her.

Definitely rabid dogs, she decided with a shallow grunt. As Bulma and Chi-Chi went off irately on the two guilty dicks who deserved it, their two miserable friends were also suffering the brunt of the yelling as innocent bystanders. Some tall, bald guy wincing in pain as he grimaced at the two girls, and the shorter bald guy, who was standing right between the pairs of bickering women and their men. Bulma and Chi-Chi were pretty scary when they wanted to be, but he was brave enough to stand up to them, seemingly attempting to defend his friends. They sure needed his help. They weren't doing a great job defending _themselves_. Chi-Chi's guy was pathetically apologizing profusely, though he couldn't get a word in with Chi-Chi. And Bulma's guy seemed to be brazenly staring Bulma down as she ranted at him. What losers.

18 huffed with annoyance at the noisy scene before deciding to sit at the bar. Maybe the amused bartender would be distracted enough by the scene her friends were making to actually serve her without checking for ID. She took one more glance at Launch leaning impatiently against the wall near the restrooms, then Bulma and Chi-Chi yelling, before finding herself a barstool and sitting down. She felt bad for that guy caught in the middle of it all as he attempted to mediate peace, only to be inadvertently smacked by Bulma as he was caught in the crossfire. 18 didn't even know the guy, but she knew he deserved to be having a better night than that.

* * *

The night was going great. They brought their IDs with them, everyone but Piccolo got started with a drink, no one was fighting or arguing for once, and the whole gang had agreed to come out.

Then Tien and Yamcha got up to use the bathroom. He blamed them for what was happening now. Because the moment they stood from the table, _they_ barged into the bar, angrily destroying the happy little sanctuary the bar had become. And there he was, like an idiot, flabbergasted and stuttering in the middle of Vegeta and Goku's battles. Those guys were more than capable of defending themselves. So why did he feel the need to try and help?

Probably, because as he witnessed the other guys' brutal reaming, he was realizing that in regard to women, Goku and Vegeta actually did need some help. They were downright terrible, actually. Hadn't anyone ever taught them how to treat a woman if you want her to like you? Before he turned to Goku, prepared to speak, he rubbed his throbbing cheek. Damn, that girl could hit hard!

"Hey, Goku." Krillin said before waiting expectantly for Goku to acknowledge him. If he couldn't help end the arguments, which clearly hadn't worked so far, at least Goku could let him pass by to escape the conundrum. "Hey, Goku!" He yelled when Goku failed to notice Krillin and only continued trying to explain himself to Chi-Chi. Krillin was really disappointed with Goku over that one. The guy had no idea what he was supposed to do with the girl. He never called? That was only the most important thing to do after being with a girl. Then, to his surprise, Chi-Chi stopped yelling. Krillin contorted his brows in confusion as he looked at Chi-Chi, who was sighing as she shook her head at Goku.

"Goku, what am I going to do with you?" Chi-Chi asked endearingly. Goku shrugged with a guilty smile as Chi-Chi shook her head at him, and then wrapped her arms around Goku's neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Goku smiled into the kiss as Krillin blinked, dumbfounded at the change in the scene before him. Maybe Goku wasn't as hopeless as Krillin thought. He realized Bulma had stopped yelling as well. He hesitantly turned in that couple's direction. Did they make up as well? Nope. They were only quiet because they had engaged in some sort of staring contest.

After watching Bulma and Vegeta's western-style face off for a few moments, Krillin groaned wearily when he realized he was sandwiched between a couple in an angry stare down and a couple engaging in a makeup make out session. Yeah. Not where he wanted to be.

Krillin slipped between the stare down, assuming it would be the safest route, before sighing with relief as he headed for the bar. The night just had to start getting better. And as he neared the bar, catching sight of a familiar, beautiful blonde that made his heart start beating faster, Krillin realized that the night might have gotten better already. If he didn't blow this. She was sitting alone. She looked...sad, or disappointed. Duh, Krillin. Her friends all deserted her to stalk and terrorize his friends. Of course she'd be disappointed.

Krillin's lip twitched in a small smile as he considered her appearance. When he had seen her before, she looked so hard and cold. But in that moment, she looked vulnerable. She had a soft side under that calloused front. He continued smiling as he slowly approached the empty barstool beside her. He sat and opened his mouth to speak as she glanced over at him.

And then that hard look was back. He froze as her eyes met his. He was so confident until he sat down, but now, with the way she was looking at him, she was giving him the chills. Stop being a chicken, Krillin! He inadvertently let a shaky moan slip from his mouth and felt like even more of a moron as she raised a brow at his inarticulate noise and continued sizing him up with her eyes. What was she thinking about him?

She must have decided he was a loser. Yeah, that was it. She was either looking for an easy way to let him down, or coming up with a really good insult to get rid of him. Krillin wrung his hands together nervously before rubbing them along the tops of his thighs to remove the clammy sweat that had formed in his palms. Oh, man. This was not his night.

"Want another one?" The bartender asked, pulling Krillin from his worrisome vortex. Krillin stuttered incoherently as he looked at the impatient face of the bartender.

"Uh, what?" He asked the bartender as his eyes anxiously darted back to the girl next to him. "Oh!" He exclaimed as he finally processed what the bartender said. "Yeah. Thanks." Krillin said with a nod to the bartender before looking at the girl again. He quickly looked down into his lap when he realized she was staring at him. Now what? He sighed before the bartender returned with his drink.

"Buy me a drink." The girl demanded with a small smile. He blinked dumbly at her. She was so confident! Well, he could be confident, too. Right?

"Y-yeah!" He responded a little too eagerly as he turned to address the bartender. Yeah, real smooth. "One of these for her as well." Krillin told the bartender as he gestured to his own drink.

"Have any ID, sweetheart?" The bartender asked as he leaned over the bar and eyed the blonde suspiciously. As the girl stared back defiantly, obviously not having an ID to produce, Krillin narrowed his eyes at the bartender.

"Hey! She's with me." Krillin said forcefully while pointing his thumb into his chest. "If you don't want to serve her, we can spend our money elsewhere." He said firmly. The bartender frowned at Krillin before his eyes widened in disbelief at Krillin's persistent, stern expression.

"No, no! That's alright!" The bartender replied with a forced smile to the girl. "Comin' right up." As the bartender traveled down the bar to fix the girl's drink, Krillin huffed with relief. He didn't think that'd work!

"What's your name?" The girl asked him with a slight, considerate tilt of her head. Krillin smiled as his eyes met those beautiful, pale blue eyes of hers.

"Krillin. Yours?" Krillin asked, carefully containing the eagerness he felt as he was finally engaging in conversation with this girl.

"Lazuli. But don't call me that." The girl said threateningly as the bartender returned with her drink. Lazuli, or the nameless girl, as Krillin supposed he was to call her now, smirked at the bartender triumphantly as she possessively curled her fingers around the ice cold glass.

"Then what do I call you?" Krillin asked as she sipped her drink and closed her eyes for a moment in satisfaction. Krillin licked his lips at that sight. He wondered what it'd be like to see her look that satisfied again, for other reasons.

"18." She said as she placed the drink back on the counter. Wait, what were they just talking about? Why were numbers coming into their conversation?

"Huh?" She carefully observed Krillin while he struggled to comprehend how that number she just gave him fit into the context of their conversation from which he had so easily been distracted.

"You're cute." She said with a smirk before taking another sip of her drink. Then after holding it in her hand for a minute, rather than placing the drink on the bar, she put it to her lips again, quickly downing the rest of the drink. Krillin smiled widely at her. He was really impressed! That girl had some balls. Figuratively speaking, of course.

"Wait, 18 is your _name_." He stated as it finally registered. She nodded with a sharp cough as she swallowed her liquor and thumped the empty glass on the bar.

"Right." She agreed before jumping at the loud outcry that happened across the bar. Krillin jumped as well and turned to face the table where he sat before everything started getting chaotic, which of course, was the location of that new commotion. Krillin grimaced as he watched Yamcha push Vegeta, and then Vegeta wallop the guy with a wide punch across the face, while the girl that had been going off on Vegeta earlier enthusiastically cheered for Vegeta. What the hell happened after he left that table? The girl hugged Vegeta tightly as Vegeta was busy glaring at Yamcha on the ground, who, Krillin was pretty sure, was knocked out.

"You do care, Vegeta!" The girl gloated loudly as Vegeta roughly shook her off of him. But when she kissed him, ignoring his resistance, Vegeta wrapped his arm around her waist, smirking victoriously.

Poor Yamcha. What did he do to get those two both angry with him? Piccolo had been standing by while that happened, and knelt down to assist Yamcha. At least someone was helping. Maybe Krillin should have been helping. He glanced at 18 with a guilty, selfish thought. He really didn't want to leave her if he didn't have to.

Where was Goku? He and Chi-Chi were nowhere to be seen. Krillin looked around for a while before spotting Tien in a dark corner, making out with that scary blonde and seemingly oblivious to the fight. Man, a lot had happened while he was busy making his moves on 18. Speaking of 18. He turned to smile at the girl beside him. She smiled back. He felt like a lucky guy, to even be catching her attention for a minute.

"Is your friend going to be alright?" She asked as she crossed her arms and nodded in Yamcha's direction. Krillin looked at Yamcha again, who was definitely unconscious as Piccolo hefted the guy over his shoulder.

"Yeah." Krillin decided dismissively as he looked at 18 again. "So, uh..." he began as he warily rubbed his arm and met 18's gaze with a hesitant smile.

"Want to go somewhere more private?" 18 asked with a small smirk. Krillin faltered, and he was pretty sure he was blushing.

That was more forward than he expected. He frowned at her. He really liked 18, but he was hoping for something more serious. A real relationship. He wasn't looking for a one night stand. But he couldn't just turn her down. What should he say? He couldn't help continuing to frown at her as he struggled with his internal battle.

"Woah. Don't jump to conclusions." 18 said as she scowled at Krillin's obvious train of thought. "This doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with you."

"It doesn't?" Krillin asked. He wanted to smack himself in the face for blurting that out. 18 raised a brow at Krillin, looking unamused. Then as Krillin gulped nervously, 18 leaned forward with a teasing smirk.

"Maybe." 18 said as she lowered her face to his level. Krillin stopped breathing. Her lips were so close to his. And then, she lightly planted her unmoving lips against his. Krillin felt a thrill at that simple touch. Nothing could have been better than that! Krillin smiled giddily as 18 pulled away, never removing her eyes from his.

"Let's go!" Krillin said enthusiastically as he grasped 18's hand in his and led her to the door. 18 went along willingly, though not showing as much enthusiasm as Krillin. But he didn't care. Whatever happened between them tonight would happen. Either way, as it turned out, tonight _was_ his night.

* * *

A/N: So you'll notice this chapter's title includes "take one", meaning the next chapter will be a "take two". A lot happened at that bar, and we couldn't get it all from two perspectives, so the next chapter will be the same series of events, from two other people's perspectives. Just wanted to clarify that, so everyone realizes that some questions you may have after reading this chapter will be answered in the next one.


	17. All Together Now: Take Two

Always go with your first instinct. He knew he should've stayed at the dorms. Somehow, Krillin and Tien had convinced him earlier that day to join them at the bar. He refused at first. Then he changed his mind. He supposed that this time around would have had to be an improvement over the last time. He was right about that, for the first, maybe, fifteen minutes at the bar. Things were going well. No bullshit. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Yamcha and Tien got up to use the restroom together, like a couple of girls. He had been thinking that very thought as he chuckled and watched them leave together. He hadn't been paying any attention to who walked into the bar at that time, though he realized someone had. The cool gust of wind and the loud patter of more than one pair of hasty footsteps indicated as much. As he turned to face the others, who also had been watching the 'girls' go to the bathroom in amusement, they were startled by a harsh bang against the table.

"Goku!" A shrill voice called nearby, causing him to immediately wince at the noise.

"Vegeta!" Another one called before he even had a chance to recover from the first blow to his eardrums. Then, a gunfire of noise fired from the mouths of the two nicely dressed, intensely pissed looking women. If he had to bet, he'd say the brunette was the girl Goku never called, and apparently Vegeta'd been busy as well.

Poor Krillin. That guy had it even worse than him. At least Piccolo could take a step back from that mess. He _could_ also come to Goku's defense and tell the girl that Goku really did lose her number. But he kind of liked watching Goku suffer. He _really_ liked watching Vegeta suffer. This was exactly why he knew better than to get involved with girls.

Ugh, but his ears! He winced again as he backed away, frowning sympathetically at Krillin, who had just been hit by Vegeta's girl. Oh, if that were him, he and Vegeta would have had a real problem. But Krillin wouldn't do anything. That kid was afraid of Vegeta, judging by the looks of things, maybe even _more_ afraid of Vegeta's girlfriend.

Goku continued his apologies while the girls both kept yelling, but at least Vegeta was staying silent. Someone had to shut up. Then, just when he thought the tirades would never end, the brunette stopped yelling. About fucking time. Then a moment later, the one with blue hair stopped yelling. Someone must've finally been looking out for him. Piccolo smiled with relief. Then Goku's girl kissed him, which was fine, until they started _really_ kissing. Piccolo grimaced in disgust. Couldn't they find somewhere more private to do that?

Krillin slipped away, between the other two to head to the bar. From his peripheral vision, Piccolo noticed Yamcha and Tien emerging from the bathroom, though Tien was immediately snatched by his blonde stalker, who planted him forcefully against the wall by his shoulders. At least Yamcha was returning to their table, though that guy was certainly not Piccolo's first choice for company. But for some reason, as Yamcha looked their direction, he looked pissed. Piccolo heard a moan and looked the other way, groaning contemptuously at the couple nearest him.

"Why don't you two get a room?" He huffed in a low voice with frustration. To his relief, the couple separated their conjoined faces to look at him. They both looked like deer in headlights. Did he have to spell it out for them? Then they looked at one another and shrugged, smiled, and started walking away. Hell, yeah! Someone _was_ looking out for him tonight.

"I'm taking the car, Piccolo. Tell the guys we'll be right back!" Goku called over his shoulder before he walked out of the bar with his arm around the girl's shoulder. Piccolo smiled smugly to himself. That was better. He began turning to his left to look for Tien and Yamcha, and see what Vegeta had gotten up to. But yeah, so much better now. No more…ugh! Piccolo gritted his teeth as he spotted Tien seated at a booth in the corner, smiling and kissing the blonde stalker. Why did he have to be surrounded by this shit in a public place? And why was Tien kissing her? Wasn't he supposed to be afraid of the girl? Piccolo's attention was immediately drawn from Tien, though, when Yamcha reached their table. Judging by the look on Yamcha's face, as he approached Vegeta and the girl, who were still stubbornly glaring at one another and oblivious to Yamcha's presence, shit was about to go down. This was why Piccolo should have gone with his first instinct and stayed home. He didn't need this.

* * *

He was so damn stubborn! He was looking directly at her as she vented about what an asshole he was for not calling, for not at least attempting to contact her in some way, for at least admitting that what they'd done was completely satisfying, because she knew she was, but all he would do was scowl at her. He _knew_ he was wrong.

So after a while of getting it all out, she willfully glared at him as she waited for him to say something. And he stubbornly continued to stare at her, because he had no defense and he refused to admit that he was wrong. What. An. Asshole! She narrowed her eyes even more as she took even, shallow breaths through her nose. He crossed his arms tighter and leaned in domineeringly. Like that was going to get him out of this!

Then, to her surprise, another guy approached her and wrapped his arms around her for an embrace. She reluctantly lost eye contact with Vegeta as she looked at the face to really see who was hugging her and calling her by name with such a familiar tone.

"Yamcha?" She questioned with her brows contorted in confusion as she eyed the way he smiled genuinely at her. Did she miss something? The last time she heard from that guy, he'd dumped her for Maron. Now here he was, all happy to see her and making moves on her? There was no way that this close up, he would still think she was Maron. His hand reached around her waist and his lips lowered to hers and before she could react, she heard a fierce growl beside her. Yamcha was harshly shoved away as she stumbled from the sudden release of his grip. What the hell was wrong with that guy? He kissed her! Like she was _his_ to kiss. Why, she'd like to give him a piece of her mind for putting his hands on her…but it seemed that Vegeta already had that covered.

"Keep your hands off of her!" Vegeta yelled as Yamcha glared back. Bulma smiled and bit her lip excitedly at the sight of the fight. Two guys were fighting over her! This was awesome! And just a moment ago, Vegeta was refusing to admit he felt anything. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't. "You never even slept with her!" Vegeta yelled as he stepped closer to Yamcha and Yamcha took a hesitant step back. Then Yamcha looked at Bulma. Really looked at her as she looked back and studied him curiously. A sudden look of realization crossed his face before he looked at Vegeta with a panicked expression.

"You slept with Maron, you moron!" Bulma clarified for him with an aggravated shake of her head, though she was pretty sure he had finally just realized that himself. But that didn't make a difference in Bulma's mind. She was pissed at that guy, both for his earlier betrayal, and now for kissing her without permission. "Hit him, Vegeta!"

Apparently, Vegeta wasn't feeling very forgiving either, or maybe he finally felt like listening to her. Vegeta shoved Yamcha, who shoved Vegeta back before Vegeta glared furiously and swung his arm around for a roundhouse punch, knocking Yamcha out cold! Bulma gasped at the sight before smiling at Vegeta. He looked so proud of himself, and still kind of pissed as he stared down at the fallen guy on the floor. Damn that was hot! And it was sweet! He did that for her. She squealed excitedly as she jumped into Vegeta's arms, hugging him tightly.

"You do care, Vegeta!" Bulma gloated loudly as Vegeta roughly shook her off of him. Still stubborn, apparently. But no one would win against her in that department. Bulma kissed Vegeta, ignoring his resistance, and of course the tough guy had to melt eventually. Vegeta kissed back and wrapped his arm around Bulma's waist as Bulma nuzzled into him. That was more like it. He was a tough case, but he had a soft spot for her.

Bulma glanced curiously around the room without losing contact with Vegeta. That tall, mopey, bald friend of theirs was helping Yamcha, who would eventually realize his mistake when he came around. Bulma didn't feel bad for him. He deserved it after the shit he'd pulled with Maron. Though, now, Bulma was happy he'd done it. 18 was leaving the bar, hand in hand with the little bald guy Bulma had punched. Oops. She'd have to apologize to him later, if she got the chance. Of course, it wasn't her fault he was in the way. But she'd apologize to the little idiot anyways. Then Launch was making out in the corner of the bar. Alright, go Launch! Bulma smirked proudly at that sight. That girl seemed like she was never going to land her guy. Though it would work a lot better if she found somewhere private to go. And where was Chi-Chi? Maybe Chi-Chi already had that idea. Actually, it wasn't a bad idea at all. Bulma met Vegeta's eyes, smiling when he smirked at her in understanding. He knew what she was thinking. Now they just needed to find a place. She raised her brows at him expectantly, waiting for him to lead the way.

"Piccolo." Vegeta called to the tall, bald guy hefting Yamcha into a nearby chair. "Car keys." He demanded as Piccolo scowled back at Vegeta before taking his sweet time to prop Yamcha into a stable seated position. "Now." Vegeta added as he out held his open palm expectantly. Piccolo looked at Vegeta's hand, frowning before he met Vegeta's eyes and smirked bitterly.

"Goku took the car." Piccolo said as he looked at Vegeta, then Bulma, then Vegeta again with a smug expression. Well, damn that Goku.

"Fucking Kakarot." Vegeta muttered angrily.

"Hey, guys!" Bulma cocked her head towards the familiar voice with a smirk. Speak of the devil. Goku and Chi-Chi were all big smiles as Chi-Chi giggled happily and clung onto Goku tightly. Goku dangled the car keys from his hand tauntingly with a toothy grin. "Looking for something?" Goku asked knowingly as he shook the keys annoyingly and Vegeta growled before he snatched the keys harshly from Goku's hand.

"Woah, Launch!" Chi-Chi exclaimed with a start as her eyes widened and she finally noticed their friend publicly molesting Tien in the corner of the bar. Bulma scoffed. She could care less about Launch right now. She wanted to leave the bar with Vegeta already.

"Ugh." Piccolo groaned loudly as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms tightly. "I think I've had enough of this for one night." Bulma frowned at Piccolo, noting she wasn't the only one. What was he complaining about? Oh. He didn't have a girl. He must've been jealous.

"Enough of what, Piccolo?" Goku asked curiously.

"All of you screwing each other and leaving me to clean up your mess!" Piccolo exclaimed in frustration as he pointedly gestured towards Yamcha, who was just coming around in the chair. Goku and Chi-Chi exchanged a glance before Goku blinked in surprise at Piccolo.

"Wow, Piccolo. You know about that?" He asked as he studied Chi-Chi curiously and Bulma rolled her eyes at the conversation. "Word must really go around fast!" Goku exclaimed with a wide grin as Chi-Chi elbowed him harshly and blushed. Bulma crossed her arms and bit her cheek with irritation. She'd had enough of the bar. Could they just go now?

"C'mon, Vegeta." Bulma said as she slid her hand down Vegeta's arm and grasped his hand tightly. Vegeta smirked at her and nodded readily in agreement. It seemed all the girls were happy tonight. And if Vegeta didn't call her after _this_ meeting, she'd make sure to give him the worst case of blue balls any man had ever experienced.


	18. Recovery

Oh, no. That didn't look good. It was all blue and purple and even turning a disgusting shade of green at some parts. And he couldn't see for shit out of that eye. Damn that Vegeta. And Bulma…what did that girl think of him? He was so embarrassed now that he realized the truth. But how was he supposed to know that the girl he slept with was just a look-a-like? She called herself Bulma and showed at the hotel where " _Bulma"_ had agreed to meet him. Why did she do that? Her name was Maron? He was so confused, and it was really hard to think clearly with his eye throbbing like that. He turned his back to the mirror, leaning against the counter as he placed his hands on the edge of it, near the sink, and sighed heavily. The worst part was, he still wanted to see Maron again. Did she still want to see him?

His thoughts were interrupted as the locker room doors burst open and the sounds of raucous laughter echoed through the room. He looked through his one good eye to see Goku, Tien and Krillin joking around with one another light heartedly before Tien stopped and looked at him, surprised by his presence.

"Yamcha!" Tien exclaimed with a nervous cough as Goku and Krillin stopped, frowned and exchanged a wary glance. Yeah. They were all staring at his eye. He looked terrible. Yamcha groaned.

"Hey, guys." Yamcha grumbled with a weak wave of his hand.

"Hey, Yamcha!" Goku said cheerily as he approached the sinks and stood beside Yamcha, smiling. "What are you doing in _here_?"

"You aren't on the field this period, are you?" Tien asked with concern as he carefully avoided eye contact with Yamcha. Yamcha frowned as he watched Tien and Krillin's gaze darting everywhere but his face in avoidance of the eyesore he was flaunting. If he could return the favor to Vegeta one day, he would love to. Because this really sucked.

"No. I'm not on the field." Yamcha admitted petulantly as he crossed his arms. "I just came in here to check out my eye. It looks hideous." Yamcha groaned as he reluctantly spun to the mirror again, frowning at his reflection.

"No, it's not that bad, Yamcha." Krillin consoled him in an almost-convincing tone.

"What are you talking about, Krillin?" Goku asked dubiously as he openly stared at Yamcha and Yamcha blinked with his good eye at his friend beside him. "It looks terrible." Leave it to Goku to be completely honest. Yamcha huffed with frustration as Krillin took off his shirt and threw it harshly at Goku with a reprimanding glare. "What?" Goku asked with a laugh as he caught the shirt he'd been hit with and tossed it back to Krillin.

"It's alright, guys. Goku's right. Guess I can't clear things up with Maron anytime soon. Not until I look more like myself again." Goku clapped Yamcha's shoulder with a considerate frown.

"Why don't you just talk to her, Yamcha. I'm sure the eye won't matter. She'll know you'll heal." Goku suggested as Krillin and Tien nodded in agreement. Yamcha rolled his eyes and scoffed. Maybe that was true for Chi-Chi, and Launch, and the other girl Krillin was seeing. Not for his girl.

"You don't know Maron. If she took one look at this eye, she'd never want to see me again." Yamcha admitted with a deep scowl.

"Oookay." Krillin said with a wary, perturbed expression. "But even if that is a problem, you can still call her." Yamcha grunted. He'd already thought of that. But the number he had for Maron turned out to actually be Bulma's number. There was _no way_ he was calling her after that night at the bar.

"Uh-uh." Yamcha refused stubbornly with a shake of his head.

"Okay. We tried." Goku said with a shrug before pulling up the hem of his shirt and starting to walk away.

"Goku! Where are you going?" Krillin asked with annoyance as Goku slipped his shirt over his head, stopped, and then glanced over his shoulder in surprise at the address.

"Class is starting. I need to dress and get warmed up." Goku explained nonchalantly as Krillin scowled impatiently at him.

"Yamcha is having a crisis here, man. You can't just abandon him." Krillin said as Yamcha smiled weakly at his supportive friends standing by him. Goku was supportive, too. In his own way.

"Aw, but today we're-" Goku began to complain as he raised his thumb over his shoulder, clearly indicating the field. But he immediately stopped when Tien and Krillin both glared warningly at him. Goku frowned in defeat as he slowly took a few steps back towards the group. Yamcha smiled at his friend's forced effort. It really wasn't necessary, but it was nice to know they cared. "But what are _we_ going to do?" Goku whined impatiently. That was it. Support was nice and everything, but being surrounded by people who whined and uncomfortably stared at him wasn't helping anything.

"Hey, guys. I really need to get to my own class. You go enjoy your thousand pushups and whatever the hell else Colonel Jeice is going to make you do." Yamcha said dismissively as Goku beamed at him and Krillin and Tien frowned at one another.

"Alright! Thanks, Yamcha. Good luck with that eye!" Goku called as he wasted no time excitedly running off towards his locker.

"Oh, man. I almost wish I was you right now, Yamcha." Krillin grumbled as he frowned in the direction of the field. Krilln crossed his arms and took a few, slow steps in the direction Goku was headed. But Yamcha hadn't heard the whole story from what happened at the bar after he was knocked out. He had to ask.

"Hey, Krillin!" Yamcha called as he curiously glanced between Tien and Krillin. "I heard you left the bar with that blonde girl last night." Yamcha said with a smirk as Krillin's cheeks quickly turned red. Yamcha looked at Tien, who smirked knowingly at him. "So? Did you do _it_?" Krillin frowned.

"Hey, just because you tell everyone your business doesn't mean I have to." Krillin responded defensively as Yamcha and Tien exchanged a dubious glance. "I really like and respect 18."

"He didn't." Yamcha said knowingly as he shook his head and Tien nodded in agreement.

"Hey!" Krillin yelled irately. "Yes, I did!" Yamcha shared a laugh with Tien as Krillin's eyes widened in realization at what he'd just admitted to. Then Yamcha smirked at Tien.

"And what about you? I know Launch was there, snagging you when we left the bathroom." Yamcha said tauntingly as he continued to smirk at his friend, who began blushing under Yamcha's scrutiny. Then Tien scowled at Yamcha.

"You know what? Your eye does look like shit." Tien replied with a stubborn frown as he crossed his arms and started to walk away. Yamcha laughed. Those guys were so defensive sometimes. He had to take where it was coming from, in regards to that comment about his eye.

"So I guess that's a no?" Yamcha prompted with an air of mockery as Tien continued walking away, raising his middle finger in the air. So maybe he didn't know what happened with Tien and Launch, but he didn't care too much anyways. What he really wanted to know was what was happening with Maron, and if she even cared what was happening with him.

* * *

She huffed with exhaustion as she wiped the towel across her brow. Swimming was tough! She had so much exercise for the day. Those two laps were really something. She glanced over her shoulder at the girls still in the pool as she slid the towel lower, drying her legs and abdomen neatly. Now she was going to lay out and relax. She didn't know why Chi-Chi chose the swim team for them at sign-ups. Of course, then again, she was pleasantly surprised to be enrolled in a sport that allowed her to flaunt her new swimsuit collection at practice.

"Go, Chi-Chi!" She cheered for her teammate, who was getting ready to dive beside a better suited, probably faster girl looking to join their team. "We won't give you a hard time when you lose!" She yelled encouragingly with a giggle and wide smile as she settled onto the poolside chaise. Chi-Chi glared in her direction. Hm. Was that all she got for cheering for her friends?

Then Chi-Chi focused her gaze on the pool, still looking pissed. Someone had to tell her that red and navy were not her colors. That suit was too…sporty. It didn't show off Chi-Chi's slim, toned figure at all. Maron laid back on the chaise, grimacing just as she heard the noisy whistle that she was really hating since this swim team thing began. She closed her eyes, finding the rapid splashes of the swimmers from the pool a soothing sound. If only this were an outdoor pool. Some sun would have been nice.

"Woo! Go Chi-Chi!" Exuberantly called an extremely loud voice beside Maron, which made her startle and open her eyes wide. There was Bulma, hopping excitedly until the splashing from the pool died down and the whistle blew again. Maron sneered disbelievingly at Bulma's unusual presence by the pool. That girl wasn't on the team.

"Bulma, are you joining the swim team?" Maron asked in shock as she sat up to face the other girl, who turned with a frown to look down at Maron seated on the chaise just behind her.

"No." Bulma groaned with a contemptuous frown. "I came here to meet Chi-Chi. We're going out after this." Bulma grumbled as she crossed her arms and turned her back to Maron. Maron frowned considerately at Bulma for a minute before deciding to stand up. Then Chi-Chi showed up, breathing heavy and dripping pool water with a proud smile.

"Did you lose?" Maron asked compassionately as she started to reach to place a consoling hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder, then retracted it when she realized how wet Chi-Chi still was.

"No!" Chi-Chi said with a glare as she crossed her arms stubbornly. "I won, Maron." She replied tersely through clenched teeth. Maron's eyes widened in surprise. Then Maron laughed.

"Oh, good!"

"Bulma, are you ready?" Chi-Chi asked with a huff, not even giving Maron another glance as she reached for a dry towel from the nearby table where Maron had earlier pulled hers from the stack. Bulma looked Chi-Chi up and down with an amused smirk.

"I am, but you're not." Bulma replied as she shifted her weight where she stood. Chi-Chi grumbled something in a bitter tone before roughly drying her hair with the towel.

"I'll be right back. Wait here." Chi-Chi ordered Bulma bossily. Bulma smiled as Chi-Chi headed to the locker rooms, probably planning on getting changed before they went…wherever they were going. That was a good thing, though. Maybe Maron would burn that suit for Chi-Chi later. Do her a favor.

"So, where are you guys going? Have a date or something?" Maron asked curiously as she smiled and waited for Bulma to reply. Or at least look at her again. "Bulma." She called impatiently. Bulma slowly turned to face Maron with her arms crossed, frowning.

"What do you mean, Maron? With each other?" Bulma remarked facetiously with an impatient and rude attitude. But Maron laughed anyways. That was sort of funny. Bulma and Chi-Chi on a date.

"No, silly!" She said before she gasped in realization at the implication behind her own question. "Are you going out with that guy? The one you said was hotter than Yamcha?" She asked as she raised her hand to her mouth and stared at Bulma expectantly. Bulma smiled smugly and nodded.

"Chi-Chi has a date, too." Bulma said, maintaining her triumphant grin as Maron frowned in disappointment. She never did get around to calling Yamcha. She must have written his number wrong or something. All she got when she called was some recorded message. Bulma frowned at Maron, looking sympathetic for a change before she grunted and looked away from Maron.

"Oh. Hope you have fun." Maron said as she attempted to smile, but for some reason, those cheeks of hers just weren't cooperating. They wanted to stay all droopy. That was so unlike her. She frowned in confusion at her own lack of action before standing from her chaise and turning around. It was time to go back to the dorm, now that swim practice was over.

"Maron, wait." Bulma said. Maron froze and blinked. Had any of the girls ever said that to her before? _She_ was always the one saying that to _them_. Maron looked over her shoulder carefully to face Bulma, who was groaning irritably, looking like she was having a struggle of some sort. Maybe Bulma was getting cold feet about her date. Maron would have been too, going to see a hot guy dressed like _that_. "You should call Yamcha." Bulma spat the words out so fast that Maron had to replay them in her mind just to comprehend them. She raised a suspicious brow at Bulma.

"Call Yamcha?"

"Yeah." Bulma groaned as she turned her lip up in a bitter scowl. "Look. The guy has it real hard up for you. Like, he took a punch to the face…because he wanted to see you." Maron frowned dubiously at Bulma, who shook her head, her mannerisms clearly conveying aggravation. Not that there was anything aggravating about that conversation. It was confusing, though. No girl had ever encouraged Maron to call a guy.

"I don't know." Maron said dubiously as she placed her hands on her hips and tried to make sense of Bulma's behavior. She gnawed her lip as she thought about it while spotting Chi-Chi in the distance, emerging from the locker room with her hair fixed and now wearing some decent clothing. "Is your guy really hotter than Yamcha? I mean, maybe I should-" before Maron could finish, Bulma growled furiously and clenched her fists tightly by her sides.

"Maron! You are not going to have a chance with any other guy from that military school! They're taken! Got it?!" Bulma shrieked irately as Maron grimaced and took a step back from Bulma's frightening demeanor. "Here." Bulma relented as she pulled out her phone and started sending or texting something. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood." Bulma muttered as she finished with her phone and replaced it in her purse. Then Maron's phone rang with a text alert. Maron looked at her purse on the ground by the chaise in surprise. Wow! What a coincidence!

"Now I'm ready. Let's go!" Chi-Chi insisted to Bulma with a wide smile as she reached the pair by the poolside. Bulma sighed as she watched Maron for a moment, who was debating whether to check that text yet. Could it have been from Yamcha?

"Okay, Chi-Chi." Bulma finally said as she turned and began walking away, side by side with Chi-Chi. "Call him, Maron!" Bulma yelled over her shoulder just before the two reached the door and exited the pool area.

Maron frowned as she bent down and picked up her phone, seeing that the text was from Bulma. Bulma must've been a busy texter that day. She was just sending everyone texts. But this one was Yamcha's number. Ah! Maron could _text_ Yamcha! Then she wouldn't have to worry about stupid recorded messages. She clutched her phone to her chest with a joyful squeal. Then she put her fingers in motion, sending a long, sensual text to the guy. She made sure to include references to all the kinky things they'd done in bed, just to be sure he wouldn't forget who she was. It wasn't like he could see her face on the phone.

But wait. Maron blinked as she stopped texting with her finger hovering over her phone. Without her face, and without calling her "Bulma", how would Yamcha know who she was? What did Bulma mean when she said Yamcha took a punch to the face because he wanted to see her? She was so confused. Oh well. Yamcha could figure it out for himself. Maron resumed texting, ending the text with her name and a lipstick-print emoticon before sending the text. She gathered her things from the poolside and began walking with her phone still in hand. Now she'd get back to the dorms. She'd wait for his call. Or his text. Then she'd plan to see him again. Hopefully her roommate wasn't upstairs.

Before she reached the stairs to the dorm, Maron's phone vibrated in her hand. She clutched her purse tightly to her shoulder before propping her phone in her hand and anxiously observing the text. Ooh! Why was she so jittery? Yamcha was just one guy out of a million. Or a billion. Or a gajillion. Or something like that. He shouldn't have mattered that much to her. But when she read the short text that said 'date next weekend?', she felt a shiver run through her. Maybe Yamcha was special. Maybe.


	19. On The Double

It was so nice to be going on a real date. She'd never been on a real date before, she realized. Maybe they were doing things a little out of order, but she couldn't complain. Everything was perfect so far with him. Their first meeting at the Tenkaichi Hotel, their argument and reconciliation in the bar, and that quick trip to the hotel afterwards…she felt heat rush to her face as she replayed that special, intimate evening in her mind. Goku was the perfect boyfriend.

"Are you ready?" Bulma asked excitedly, snapping Chi-Chi from her thoughts. Hm. Maybe the date wasn't as romantic as she'd hoped. In her blissful haze, Chi-Chi almost forgot. They were doubling with Bulma and Vegeta. Chi-Chi didn't want to tell Bulma that _her_ guy still really struck Chi-Chi as a jerk, because her friend seemed content with him. She'd look out for Bulma, though. If Vegeta tried to hurt her friend again, Chi-Chi would be there to let him have it.

"Yeah, Bulma. I'm ready." Chi-Chi said with a confident smirk as Bulma reached for the door to the restaurant, swinging it open widely. A cool breeze blew across Chi-Chi's face as they entered The Lookout, their chosen restaurant which must have had the air conditioning set to fifty degrees. Why? Chi-Chi shivered momentarily as she wrapped her arms tightly around her exposed shoulders for warmth.

She smiled when she spotted him, with his grumpy friend, standing with his hands on his hips near the hostess stand. He was dressed in a nice vest over a button up shirt, tucked into a tailored pair of pants that nicely accentuated those muscles she'd been ogling from a distance for the past couple of years. He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but think how handsome he was. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who'd noticed.

"Can I show you to your table, gentlemen?" The pretty, redheaded hostess, who appeared to be in her early twenties, asked. She reached for Goku's arm, smiling flirtatiously while she fondled his bulging biceps. Chi-Chi growled angrily. Could the girl be more obvious?

"We're waiting for someone." Vegeta grumbled to the hostess as he narrowed his eyes with annoyance at her obvious and lewd ogling. The hostess hummed almost erotically as she approached Vegeta after he spoke. She brushed against him as she feigned attempting to slide by Vegeta to return to her place behind her hostess stand. Vegeta stepped away and crossed his arms as he glared at the hostess' obvious flirtation, which was exactly what he should have done. But Goku smiled at her!

"We could sit down." Goku suggested hopefully as he sought Vegeta's gaze and Chi-Chi approached from behind with Bulma by her side, glaring angrily at Goku. "Maybe we'll order an appetizer before the girls get here." Goku pleaded to Vegeta, oblivious to the girls standing behind him. Chi-Chi noticed Bulma glaring territorially at the hostess before Chi-Chi's gaze shifted to burn into Goku's back. Vegeta smirked at the sight of the girls before addressing Goku.

"You're more interested in the food tonight than seeing that girl, aren't you?" Vegeta asked knowingly before smiling smugly at Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi squeezed her fists so tight that she felt her fingernails digging into her palms as she clenched her teeth and met Vegeta's taunting gaze. How dare he suggest that Goku wasn't interested in her?

"We're here, guys." Bulma butted in before Chi-Chi had a chance to hear Goku's response. Chi-Chi glared reprovingly at Bulma as Goku turned around in surprise. Were the two of them working against her? Chi-Chi was really regretting making the night a double date.

"Hey, Chi-Chi!" Goku greeted jovially as he leaned forward and gave Chi-Chi a kiss on the cheek. Bulma did the same to Vegeta with a smug smile as Vegeta's cheeks visibly tinged pink. Chi-Chi giggled at that sight. It served Vegeta right to be embarrassed in public after that suggestion he'd just made.

"We'll take that table now." Bulma said haughtily as she narrowed her eyes at the obviously jealous hostess, who violently snatched some menus from the stand before walking towards the tables.

"Right this way." The hostess said bitterly as Chi-Chi smiled smugly and followed with her arms wrapped possessively around Goku's arm. "Your waiter will be right with you." The hostess added with a petulant frown as she handed over the menus while the group sat themselves at the table. Chi-Chi and Bulma smiled smugly at the frowning hostess before Chi-Chi opened her menu, interested in choosing a good meal.

"Wait _er_ , huh?" Bulma mused quietly to herself as she also perused her menu. "I hope she's right about that." Bulma grumbled almost indecipherably. Chi-Chi smiled to herself upon hearing the remark. Then she glanced at Goku, who was deeply interested in his menu and oblivious to her eyes on him. How could she have doubted him? He had no interest in the hostess. Then again, Vegeta's suggestion about the food almost seemed plausible with the way Goku was visibly drooling over the menu. Chi-Chi cleared her throat pointedly, catching the attention of the entire table, though it was only Goku's attention she was seeking.

"You okay, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked with concern as he placed his hand on her back. "Do you need some water?" He asked as he dropped his menu and raised his own full glass of water to her. Chi-Chi growled with irritation as Bulma and Vegeta snickered in amusement.

"Goku." Chi-Chi whispered through her teeth with her eyes trained warily on Bulma and Vegeta, who appeared to have their eyes on their menus. She still had a feeling they were listening to her. "We are here on a date." Chi-Chi stated tersely with a pointed raise of her brow as she met Goku's curious gaze.

"Yeah, I know." Goku answered with an indifferent shrug. As he blinked at Chi-Chi as if he expected her to explain more of what she was trying to say, Chi-Chi felt her temper rising at Goku's lack of effort in wooing her. Just when she was about to have an outburst, he wrapped his arm securely over her shoulder, warming her considerately as he leaned closer and she felt his solid chest snugly against her torso. "This is great, right?" Goku asked enthusiastically as he nonchalantly reached for the bread the waiter had just wordlessly dropped in the center of their table. It felt so genuine and endearing, being wrapped in Goku's strong embrace, and hearing him express that he enjoyed being with her. It felt perfect. As a few crumbs from the handful of bread Goku was eating fell into her lap, Chi-Chi shook her head and giggled to herself in agreement with Goku's words. Maybe thinking of Goku as the perfect boyfriend was a bit of an exaggeration. But she wouldn't have wanted to be at that restaurant with anyone else.

* * *

That sushi was bad. Or the chicken was undercooked. Either way, he was calling over that waiter to give the incompetent moron an earful for poisoning him. He waved his hand curtly in the air with that intention before slowly withdrawing it as he eyed the couple across from him suspiciously. That sushi actually tasted fantastic. The chicken was pretty damn delicious, too. He reluctantly realized the food was not to blame for the nausea he was feeling. Maybe it was the sickening display from the other couple at the table, who seemed oblivious to their surroundings as they had finished their meals and were whispering sweetly and getting touchy-feely with one another. That could have been what was nauseating him. Or-he thought as he swatted in annoyance at the gentle hand skimming his face -maybe it was the way Bulma continued trying to be affectionate with him in a public place like this that was making him feel sick.

"Stop!" He whispered harshly to her before glancing cautiously around the room for any signs of anyone having seen that.

"Vegeta." She said with a smile as she reached for him _again._ He scoffed at her as he pulled down that hand before it could reach him. How obvious did he have to be before she'd get the point? He did not want to be seen in a public place being coddled like that! It was all Kakarot's fault. That idiot had no pride about how he was seen in public. Kakarot was openly allowing _his_ girlfriend to touch him and drag him around, so now Bulma felt entitled, solely by being joined by the other couple's presence. The double date was a stupid idea.

"I-" Vegeta began to object with a warning glare as Bulma's hand was reaching for him again, but when her hand lowered and a sly smile crossed her face, Vegeta stopped himself, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at her. Bulma's hand landed on his thigh, beneath the tablecloth, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't want me to touch you, Vegeta?" Bulma asked with a playful pout and shake of her head as that hand slid smoothly along his thigh. Vegeta felt his mouth drop open as Bulma's pout turned up into a triumphant grin at his speechlessness. He glanced at the other couple, relieved to find that they were oblivious to what was happening between him and Bulma, too wrapped up in their own little world together.

"Bulma," he said with a shake of his head as he reached his hand around hers with the intention of removing it, "you can't-" and then she brushed against _it_. Bulma chuckled maliciously as she ran her fingers in long, smooth strokes between his legs. Vegeta felt his head fall back as his breathing became erratic, and for a moment he forgot they were in a restaurant. Then he _remembered_ they were in a restaurant. He glared at Bulma and slammed his fist loudly on the table. "Dammit, not here!" He yelled as the surrounding patrons and their pair of friends stared at Vegeta in shocked silence.

"You okay, Vegeta?" Kakarot asked with concern as Vegeta cringed under all the gazes fixed his way.

"I'm fine!" Vegeta exclaimed as Bulma crossed her arms and turned away from him with a haughty attitude. "Let's just get out of here." Vegeta growled in annoyance before narrowing his eyes at Bulma.

"Yes. Let's get out of here. Then you can stand to let me touch you, right?" Bulma replied angrily as Chi-Chi and Kakarot watched the interaction with wide eyes. "As long as nobody else sees you with me, is that it?" Vegeta frowned deeply and turned away from her. The only thing he hated more than a public display of affection would be a public confession of his feelings. No one else needed to hear that, no one but Bulma. When Bulma stormed out of her chair and headed to the exit of the restaurant, Vegeta shook his head and growled with aggravation. He could feel Kakarot's eyes on him. He knew what he was going to say and Vegeta did _not_ want to stick around to hear him say it.

"You get the check." Vegeta sneered without looking at his friend as he stood from the table of his own volition with his chin held high, before walking off in the direction Bulma had headed. "Stupid drama." Vegeta sneered angrily as he forcefully swung the door open to meet the warm air of the outdoors again. He looked to his left to see a pair of young strangers talking amicably, likely friends, before looking to his right to see what he was seeking out there. Vegeta grimaced as he stepped towards the young lady leaned against the brick wall, scowling stubbornly as she looked away from him. She was fuming and upset, though the amount of anger she displayed almost camouflaged her true feelings. But Vegeta knew she was feeling rejected.

"Bulma." Vegeta said as he reached his hand hesitantly towards her back, then pursed his lips in displeasure as he stubbornly withdrew it without touching her. What was he doing? Trying to console her? He didn't do things like that. She was the one getting emotional over nothing. Just because he didn't want a hand job in the middle of a restaurant. If she really expected him to be receptive to that, the girl was a genius and a moron all rolled into one.

"Leave me alone, Vegeta." Bulma replied coldly as she refused to look at him. Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"You don't want me to leave you alone." Vegeta growled in aggravation. He didn't have the patience for this shit. Couldn't they make up and move on already? Bulma glanced hesitantly over her shoulder with her brow raised with intrigue. Vegeta smirked at the sight. Now they were getting somewhere.

"You're right." Bulma admitted as she slowly turned to face him, before she ruined all the progress they were making by glaring angrily at him. Damn. "But that gives you no right to-" As Bulma's hand reached up to poke him in the chest, Vegeta grasped it firmly before she could make contact. That would have really pissed him off and set them back a few more steps in this discussion. But whatever she was about to say, he wasn't going to let her finish.

"I have _every_ right." Vegeta replied with an arrogant smirk as Bulma stood with her mouth agape in disbelief. "Because you're mine, and I'm not going anywhere." There was intensity behind his words as he looked into Bulma's softening gaze. He released Bulma's hand as she studied him carefully, looking into his eyes as she likely was reading the deeper meaning behind his words. But he sure as hell wasn't going to voice all of _that_. His choice of words should have been sufficient, judging by the smile finally forming on her beautiful face. Her smile turned a little too smug as she leaned closer, and Vegeta frowned carefully at her change in demeanor.

"Don't worry, Vegeta." She whispered into his ear before pulling back slightly to brush her lips against his. "I won't tell anyone you said that." Vegeta frowned deeply at Bulma's smug expression as he tried to pretend he didn't care about that. He really was relieved that she'd keep her mouth shut, though. He realized he'd never said anything like that to anyone and meant it, and never thought he would. But something was different about Bulma. And she knew that all too well.

"Dammit, will y-" Vegeta began to grumble in warning before Bulma leaned forward just enough to finally capture his lips in hers, stopping him from uttering another word. Those lips were soft, pliant, and delicious. And they were a hell of a lot nicer rubbing against his lips than when they were forming syllables that would only piss him off further. What the hell. She didn't need to be warned. Strangely enough, Bulma seemed to have him figured out. Not that Vegeta would ever admit that. He knew getting rid of her after this wouldn't be easy. That discouraging thought strangely filled him with a comfort he couldn't understand and never thought possible before. But he wouldn't complain, because when he was with her, everything was new, and different, and better. Even the arguments.


	20. It's Not You, It's Me

He watched her silently as she sat across the table from him, shifting uncomfortably in her vinyl bench seat, which seemed to be sticking to her thighs, judging by her movements and that sticky sound her movements kept creating. He smiled when she finally looked up at him, removing the discontented grimace from her earlier expression as she smiled in return. Those beautiful blue eyes had an expression in them that…kind of looked vacant. But as she squirmed into place, his eyes were instantly drawn lower to the voluptuous movement of her cleavage. He sighed just when the waiter passed by, wordlessly placing the check on the table.

"I'm really glad we did this, Maron." He said as he drew his eyes from her cleavage to swipe the check off the table. He frowned in relaxed consideration at the inexpensive bill. It was only a diner. They weren't doing anything fancy, just finally getting to know one another.

"Me, too. I really like you, Yamcha." She replied, beaming exuberantly as she braced both hands under her chin. Man, what a face that girl had. And what a body. After that dinner, he realized her looks were the best asset going for her. Maron obviously wasn't a very deep person. But then again, neither was he.

"I'll get the check." He said as he raised the thin paper slip in the air for a moment before sliding from his booth seat. "Be right back." He added with a wink before turning and heading towards the cashier near the door.

He stood behind a middle-aged woman who was busy paying ahead of him, replaying Maron's brilliant smile in his mind as he reached for his wallet. As the woman ahead of him finished paying and stepped aside, Yamcha extended his payment to the cashier with a polite exchange and a smile. He then glanced over his shoulder towards his table, intending to smile at Maron. He assumed she might have been watching him, or fixing her makeup while she waited, but no.

There was another guy sitting across from her in his seat! And another one hovering over Maron's booth, both of them smiling and flirting with Maron as she laughed and spoke with them in return. Yamcha gritted his teeth with a brief growl of irritation as he thanked the cashier and pocketed his wallet. Then he returned to the table with a glare, ready to knock those guys aside if they became a problem.

"Hey, Maron." He said as he reached the table and territorially eyed the other two guys, who were pretty big and muscular. But he knew he could take them. He could tell by their posturing and attitudes that _they_ had never attended military school. They had no idea what he was capable of. "You ready to go?" He asked his date with a raise of his brows as she looked at him in surprise.

"Sure!" Maron said as she slid towards Yamcha and the guy at the end of her bench stepped aside to make room for her.

"Hey, baby! How about that movie?" The guy sitting in Yamcha's seat objected. Yamcha frowned deeply at that guy. What movie?

"Oh. Yeah, it does sound like a good movie. I might go see it with Yamcha sometime. What do you think, Yamcha? Want to take me to a movie?" Maron asked with a tantalizing smile as she reached for Yamcha's hand. Yamcha stared speechlessly at Maron before knitting his brows together in deep confusion. If he didn't know any better, it sounded like Maron had intended to see that movie with those other guys before Yamcha had returned. "Hm?" Maron prompted in a high-pitched tone when Yamcha hadn't responded.

"S-sure." Yamcha replied hesitantly as he suspiciously eyed the other two guys, who were frowning challengingly at him. Maron smiled widely at Yamcha before looking at each of the other two guys and waving happily to them.

"Bye!" Maron called as Yamcha pulled her by the hand, hurried to get out of there. "See you guys around sometime!" Maron called as they neared the door. Yamcha twisted his lips in an expression of displeasure as he stared ahead and opened the door, holding it for Maron. Her eyes were on those other two guys as she passed through the door. Just when Yamcha was about to release the door and follow Maron out, another woman was heading for the door from the other direction. Yamcha pushed the door open a little wider, to allow her to pass through as well. The passerby was a really good looking woman. Yamcha smiled to himself. He couldn't help watching her voluptuous form as she headed inside the diner and strutted over to a table. Wow.

"Are you ready, Yamcha?" Maron squeaked cutely from behind him. Yamcha raised his head with a start.

"Yeah! Let's go." Yamcha replied as he hurriedly released the door and turned to follow Maron to the car. It was a long drive back. Neither one of them said much. Maron attempted a few trivial conversations, but Yamcha didn't find them the least bit interesting. He tried to tell her a few things about himself as well. But she didn't seem to be paying attention when he spoke.

Yamcha pulled into the parking lot of the boarding school with a huff as he shut off the ignition. He realized, that entire time driving back, that he still had his mind on that other girl back at the diner. With a nagging suspicion, he had to ask Maron something before she kissed him, as she was leaning forward and attempting to do from her seat in the car.

"Maron." Yamcha began as he gently pushed her shoulders back. "What did those guys at the diner say to you?" Maron frowned with a surprised, almost confused expression as she pulled back from him. Maybe she couldn't remember.

"They, uh. Hm." Maron said as she placed a finger to her chin and her eyes averted towards the ceiling of the car. "Oh, yeah." She said with a smile as her eyes met Yamcha's again. "They wanted to take me out to that movie with them."

"And you said yes?" Yamcha asked incredulously as his eyes widened. He wasn't really shocked about it though. He already suspected as much, though it _was_ bruising to his ego.

"Well, yeah. It did sound like a good movie." Maron replied nonchalantly.

"But they wanted you to ditch me. They were hitting on you, Maron." Yamcha said sternly. It made him feel like he was reprimanding a child. Maron blinked in surprise.

"Really?" Yamcha nodded. "Well…what's wrong with that?" Maron shrugged. Yamcha huffed defeatedly. He should have told her that she should be upfront with the guy she was dating, that she should have only wanted to go to that movie with him. But in reality, Yamcha felt sort of relieved that Maron was already considering other guys. He wanted to take his chances with other girls. There were so many out there in the world. Why should he be tied down to just one at such a young age? Especially when all he and Maron really had…was only physical and completely lacking of substance.

"I guess…if it's alright with you…we can agree to see other people?" Yamcha asked hesitantly. He was worried. Most girls would want to punch a guy for suggesting such a thing. After what he'd witnessed at the bar the other night with Vegeta and Goku's girlfriends, he sure as hell knew what kind of anger women were capable of, and he did _not_ want to be on the receiving end of it. But, to his relief, Maron smiled.

"Alright!" She laughed in agreement as she reached for Yamcha's hand. "You are so sweet, Yamcha." She added as she leaned forward and cutely nuzzled her nose against his, before kissing him chastely. Yamcha raised a brow dubiously at her. _That_ was sweet?

"Okay! Great." Yamcha replied in relief before glancing towards the massive dormitory before them. "Well, uh. Have a good night." Yamcha said before leaning forward hesitantly to kiss Maron again. That kiss was longer and slightly more of a turn on now that the pressure of the whole relationship thing was off. Maybe the freedom was really better for both of them. They pulled away and Yamcha smiled at Maron, just as he noticed in his peripheral vision another couple standing near the doorway of the dorms. He hoped they hadn't noticed him and Maron in the car.

"Is that it?" Maron asked in disappointment as she reached for her door handle. "You don't want to come upstairs or something?" She asked with an enticing smile. Yamcha's mouth dropped in disbelief at the offer. She still wanted to sleep together after all of that?

"Y-you would want that?" Yamcha exclaimed in shock as Maron nodded curtly in agreement. "Well, I mean, it would be nice and everything," Yamcha explained while extending his palm pleadingly towards Maron, "but I don't think guys are allowed in your dorm, right?"

"Oh, damn." Maron muttered as her smile fell into a disappointed pout. "You're right. Maybe some other night." She added with a wink before opening the car door. Yamcha stared blankly after Maron as he watched her walking towards the dorms. Now he was a disappointed, too. She really got his hopes up with that offer. Maron was certainly an unusual girl. But she was hot, and she liked him, and he liked her. And now they had an understanding. They were perfectly content to not be perfect for each other.

* * *

"Hey, Launch. Goodnight, Launch." The little blue-haired bimbo interrupted as she happily skipped by them and entered the door to the dorms. Did the girl not see that Launch was in the middle of a conversation with her boyfriend? Launch glared at Maron's back as she watched, intent on making sure that the girl wasn't going to return and interrupt again before she'd resume what she was saying to Tien.

"Launch," Tien began in a soothing tone that immediately diverted Launch's attention from the passing floozy, "I really had a good time with you tonight." Launch smiled appreciatively at Tien's genuine tone and smile.

"Yeah, me too." Launch agreed abruptly. "It was the first time I didn't have to chase you down." Tien chuckled guiltily and rubbed the back of his neck while lowering his eyes to the ground. "You see? Why'd you have to make things so difficult?" Launch added teasingly.

"I don't know." Tien replied honestly as he lowered his hands by his sides.

"I almost thought you didn't like me."

"No, you didn't." Tien replied with a knowing smirk. Launch laughed guiltily. He was right. No matter how much he ran, she knew he liked her from the moment they met.

"Did you have to make a girl work so hard for it?" Launch reprimanded as she leaned into him with her hands on her hips and a playful glare on her face. Tien's gaze became serious and intent before he replied.

"Well, you caught me, didn't you?" He probably had no idea that he was being sexy with that low, husky voice, but Launch found that so sexy. And romantic. Romantic, too. Launch stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Tien's neck. Then she enveloped him in a long, passionate kiss, much like the ones they'd shared at the bar the other night. Tien blushed and smiled warily when they separated. It was so cute, how he still acted so inexperienced with her after they'd already made out a few times. Going out to dinner for a real date was great. But now Launch was looking forward to the main event, what she'd been waiting for since meeting Tien. "You wanna come upstairs?" She asked with a mischievous smile. "I could sneak you into my room. 18 won't mind leaving the room for a while." Tien frowned and then turned guiltily from Launch.

"That might not be such a good idea, Launch." Launch's eyes bulged in disbelief before she growled furiously at Tien. After all that, she finally thought she had gotten through to him. Now he was rejecting her?! Tien grimaced fearfully at Launch's reaction while waving his hands frantically in front of himself. "It's not that I wouldn't like that, Launch. It's just that it wouldn't be right." Launch's furious glare immediately melted into a confounded frown.

"What do you mean?" She asked with wide eyes as Tien soothingly grasped both her hands in each of his. Then he looked at her with a distraught expression, like he was having difficulty saying what he wanted to say. Was he dumping her?

"Launch," he sighed heavily and her heart sank before he continued, "I'm joining the military. Piccolo, Krillin and I will have to leave for some training after graduate." Launch frowned as she listened intently to Tien's words. She knew about the military thing. 18 told her. That hard ass bitch actually planned to join herself, to go along with her little boyfriend to whom she had so rapidly become attached. 18 told Launch that Vegeta and Goku joined as well, but those guys must've been whipped, because they planned to continue their relationships with Bulma and Chi-Chi regardless of how long they might be sent miles away to fight at various locations around the world.

"I have goals, Launch," Tien continued seriously, "and it wouldn't be right for me to expect you to follow me every time I relocate, or for me to hold back for you." Tien smiled apologetically at Launch, and at that moment, she saw it in his eyes.

He was sincere, and remorseful, and he wasn't making that decision just for himself. He was thinking of her as well. Launch was already hooked on Tien. If he took her virginity, his getting shipped off to fight in the military would be even more painful of a separation. At least by drawing the line at sex, Tien was protecting both of them. Launch sadly looked up at Tien through the shield of her hooded lashes and sweep of bangs, which Tien gingerly pushed aside to meet Launch's eyes with his concerned gaze. He was so sweet and perfect. How would Launch ever meet a guy like him again? Maybe she didn't have to. Launch felt her lip twitch into an inkling of a smile.

"I understand." Launch said as she felt her smile grow while Tien's brows contorted in confusion at her smiling visage. "For now, I'm still going to do this." Launch said, biting her lip excitedly before springing up on her toes and crashing her lips harshly with Tien's again. If he was moving away soon, she'd get her fill of Tien before he'd leave. Tien might've made the responsible decision, and maybe in Launch's case, that was a good thing, because _she_ would've never been responsible about it. Tien laughed with relief, shaking his head at Launch as he pulled away.

"You're crazy."

"Don't you forget it." Launch replied with a haughty smirk. "You're not going anywhere for now, so I plan to see you again soon." Tien chuckled in disbelief before releasing a harsh exhale.

"In that case, the guys are all inviting their girlfriends to that nightclub tomorrow night." Tien paused with a look of discomfort as his eyes darted away from Launch's gaze. "You know, the one you chased me around for a couple of hours."

"How could I forget?" Launch replied in amusement. "Maybe one day you'll be the one chasing _me_ around for a change." Tien blushed at the suggestion, and Launch couldn't help laughing at him.

"So I'll see you there?" Tien asked hopefully. At Launch's nod of agreement, Tien leaned in to give her one last kiss goodnight. Then he smiled, and she smiled in return before he turned away.

"Hey, Tien!" Launch called before he could leave. She had one more thing to say before he left that night. She needed him to know what she was thinking. "Even after you do leave for the military, you better keep your eyes open." Launch's smirk grew at the alarmed expression on Tien's face as he processed the implication behind her words, much like the one he wore on the night they first met. "You just might run into a feisty blonde at some hole in the wall of a bar again, who's not going to take no for an answer a _second_ time." Launch chuckled at Tien's gawking, speechless expression.

But she knew that was exactly what he'd hoped she'd say. He was still so into her. She could wait a little longer. The deal between the girls to get laid that year had lost its luster. What was more important, she believed they were all realizing now, was what kind of relationships they had. And if Tien wasn't ready, she wasn't going to push him. She could wait for Tien, as long as it might take. She'd just make sure to let him know how unforgettable she was in the meantime.

"Goodnight, Launch." Tien replied with a warm, lingering smile. "I'll see you tomorrow night."


	21. Matured

"Look at all of them." He scoffed as he sat in the preferred seating area, overlooking the majority of the club. "Goku said he had a girlfriend now, but I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes." The man beside him chuckled mockingly as his eyes were drawn to the same spectacle of bumping and grinding foolish teenagers on the dance floor below, to which his friend was referring.

"Yeah, well. Your dumb brother does seem to pull off miracles from time to time." The larger man commented facetiously while leaning back in his chair and tracing the line of his mustache with his fingers.

"Nappa," he grumbled disbelievingly as he leaned further forward to take an even closer look at the actions of the teenagers he had so kindly allowed into the club, "this is _beyond_ a miracle. Almost every one of them has a girl." He looked at Nappa, whose gaze was averted by a passing skirt, which Raditz couldn't hold against him. Nappa raised a brow as he finally processed Raditz's comment, and then he laughed as he looked at the group again. "And they're in fucking military school. How the hell did this happen?" Raditz added as Nappa scratched his chin with a stupid look on his face, like if he thought any harder he would hurt himself. Sometimes Raditz wondered why he associated with that moron.

"You got me." Nappa replied with a shrug. Nappa peered closer to the group, moving his scratching hand from his scruffy chin to his bald head as Raditz rolled his eyes. Like Nappa was difficult to stump. "Some of your brother's friends look like freaks. I'm surprised they'd ever be able to get a girl!" As Nappa laughed, Raditz had to join in with his own laughter. It was so true. "Look at the bald midget with the hot blonde." Nappa said with a demonstrative extended palm in the group's direction. Raditz looked at the pair embracing one another on the dance floor before meeting Nappa's expectant gaze and raising his brows in agreement. "I mean, how the _fuck_ did that happen?" Nappa chuckled again as he leaned back in his chair once more, reaching into his jacket pocket. Raditz smirked as he caught sight of Vegeta on the dance floor, probably the only respectable one of the whole bunch. He was being secretively groped by his girlfriend, and clearly enjoying it while he thought no one was watching.

"I see you." Raditz commented under his breath as he smirked at the lewd display. Vegeta might have been more respectable than the others, but with _his_ attitude, it was almost more unbelievable that he got a girl than any of those uglier losers. Raditz turned to face Nappa as the guy was just returning his cigarette pack into his pocket, one already protruding from his mouth as he planned to light it.

"You can't smoke in here." Raditz informed Nappa dully. Nappa lowered his chin and looked disbelievingly at Raditz.

"Fuck the rules." Raditz shrugged in agreement before reaching his hand towards Nappa.

"Give me one of those." As Raditz accepted the cigarette, he set his sights on the kids again.

Because that was what they were. Kids who needed to be monitored in his place of business. Immature idiots who played games and complicated the hell out of things for stupid reasons. Like their dumb fake ID scam. Anyone could've seen that from a mile away, and all they had to do was ask big brother Raditz and get whatever booze they were looking for in the club. His brother was such a dumbass sometimes.

Even the girls acted like idiots. Call girls. That card was pretty damn convincing, along with that call girl persona the blue haired girl emulated that night. Obviously, now, Raditz could see they were just a bunch of repressed boarding school chicks looking for some dick. They would have never succeeded on their own.

Raditz accepted the lighter from Nappa and watched its flame in front of his face for a second before inhaling the lovely nicotine that would fill his lungs and improve his mood for the evening. As he exhaled and watched the swirling cloud of smoke skim through the air in front of him, a realization hit.

"I know how this happened." Raditz said as he tossed his head back with a smug smile. Nappa removed his cigarette from his mouth to frown at him. "It was me." Nappa shook his head and snorted in amusement before returning his cigarette to his lips again. "No, really," Raditz continued, "if I hadn't let my brother and all his little friends in here, and then helped _that_ little chicken shit with getting the girl's number..." Raditz said with a point of his finger to the dark-haired kid who was grinding on a different blue-haired girl than the original for some reason (Raditz wasn't going to think too deep into that one), "none of those guys would've gotten laid until after high school." Raditz finished proudly, because he was pretty damn proud of himself. Not that his selfish idiot of a brother would ever bother to thank him for everything that he'd done. But Raditz knew where credit was due.

"You think those girls are banging them?" Nappa asked skeptically as he eyed the group again. Raditz cast only a brief glance in their direction. He'd had enough of looking at them, though the eye candy of the girls had made it entertaining up to that point.

"Yeah." He shrugged indifferently. Judging by the call girl scheme, and the way they'd all been hanging all over each other all night, and the fact that they were hormonal teenagers, deprived of the opposite sex's company for so long, of course they'd be fucking.

"Which one do you like? I think I'd bang the blonde with long hair. She looks spunky." After coughing the cigarette smoke he had inhaled too harshly, Raditz chuckled at Nappa's comment. "Then again, the other blonde is pretty good, too. Ah, but I'd really like to fuck your brother's girlfriend." Nappa smirked while he eyed the girl dragging a resistant Goku by the hands to the center of the dance floor. "She's gotta be pretty aggressive to get his oblivious ass in the sack, right?" Nappa chuckled while Raditz smiled and dismissively shook his head before blowing out another puff of smoke.

"They're teenagers, Nappa."

"They're eighteen, aren't they?" Nappa responded without hesitation. Raditz shrugged. If that was the case, he was partial to bluenettes, himself. Both of those girls were _very_ bangable. Raditz's attention was diverted from the conversation when a lovely redhead strutted past, giving him the fuck-me eyes. Blue was good, but red wasn't bad, either.

"Hi." She said to him huskily before averting her gaze and seating herself at another nearby table. When the woman returned her attention to him, Raditz smirked back at her and withdrew his cigarette from his mouth, before shoving it forcefully into the the bottom of his empty water glass and putting it out.

"I'm sorry, Sir. You can't smoke here." A timid voice sounded right after that, clearly directed towards Nappa. Raditz glanced in that direction to see a younger, scrawny guy smiling hesitantly at Nappa, some new employee whose name he hadn't bothered to learn yet. Nappa glared intimidatingly at the poor fool.

"Go shove it up your ass." Nappa responded harshly as the young employee grimaced and scooted off. Raditz chuckled before returning his gaze to the redhead, who still had her eyes fixed on him. "I'll tell you one thing, Raditz." Nappa added as he followed Raditz's gaze and interestedly scrutinized the young woman as well. Raditz frowned warningly at Nappa as he picked up on that look before Nappa continued. "I'm glad _I_ never went to military school. I don't think I would've survived with no women around when I was a teenager!"

"Tell me about it." Raditz chuckled in relaxed agreement. "The world needs women." Raditz turned to smirk at the woman again, who was already out of her seat and walking away, though she threw an inviting glance over her shoulder at Raditz as she did so. "I'll see you around, Nappa." Raditz said as he kept his gaze fixed on the woman and stood from his seat. He adjusted his jacket and slicked back his hair before chasing after the beautiful ass of that gorgeous redhead.

He was no teenager. He would be a man, make his intentions obvious and go straight for the kill. _His_ days of high school games and schemes were long over. He'd have to show his brother how it was done in the real world sometime. But then again, he had a feeling that his brother and all his foolish friends were done with the games as well.

"Hey, Red." Raditz said with a confident smirk as he reached for the woman and smoothly wrapped his hand around her waist.

"Hey, yourself." She replied with a sly smile as she leaned into Raditz, unsurprised by his hands or his sudden approach.

"Name's Raditz. I work here. Let me get you a drink." Raditz told her as they began walking off together.

"Oh, really? Sounds like we're in the same line of business. I'm a hostess at The Lookout." The woman replied with a flirtatious giggle as she groped her fingers around Raditz's bicep. Raditz chuckled darkly in response to her flirtation. He already knew that his brother's and all his friends' evenings would end well that night. Of course, now it could only end happily for Raditz as well.

* * *

A/N: That's the end! It was a fun story to write; these couples are fun in any universe. Had to throw in Raditz at the end, because I didn't forget about him. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and faved/followed, especially those of you who reviewed regularly. I love to know that this had people laughing, which was the whole point of the story.


End file.
